Two U.S. Air Force pilots safely ejected from a T-6A Texan II training aircraft near Seguin, Texas, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. The crew conducted what military officials described as a "controlled bailout" at approximately 5:51 p.m. local time after receiving indications that the aircraft's landing gear was unsafe. Both pilots were transported to local medical facilities for evaluation following the incident.
The aircraft was assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph (JBSA). The wing is responsible for training enlisted aviators and pilot instructors. According to a release from JBSA, the crew made the decision to eject after consulting with experts who recommended the bailout when the landing gear issue became apparent. The incident occurred near the Guadalupe-Wilson county line, approximately 35 miles east of San Antonio.
Local law enforcement from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash site near Nockenut Road and Lynn Drive. The sheriff's office stated via social media that the accident posed no threat to the public, though residents could expect a large presence of military, fire, and emergency medical personnel in the area. The T-6A Texan II involved is a single-engine, two-seat trainer used by both the Air Force and the Navy to teach basic flying skills to student pilots.
Residents in the rural area near Seguin and the Wilson County line will notice a military and law enforcement presence as recovery operations and investigations proceed. For the pilots, the day-to-day impact includes medical monitoring and an interruption to their training schedule as the military evaluates their fitness for duty and the circumstances of the gear failure. Military aviation training wings often review safety protocols following controlled bailouts to determine if mechanical failures or sensor errors led to the landing gear warning.
What happens next: Air Force officials did not provide a timeline for the investigation into the landing gear failure. The pilots' medical conditions were not disclosed following their initial evaluation. Recovery teams are expected to remain at the site near Nockenut Road to clear debris and investigate the wreckage. No dates have been set for a formal accident investigation board report, which is standard procedure for military aircraft losses.