A U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C fighter jet crashed during a routine training flight in Southern California on Wednesday, officials said. The pilot ejected safely before impact and sustained minor injuries, requiring transport to a hospital in nearby Ridgecrest. The crash happened around 10:45 a.m. near Trona Airport in San Bernardino County, on a dry lake bed about 27 miles from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Video showed the jet descending low before exploding into flames, with the

91K views · 2.8K reactions | In fighter jet training, the “hard deck” or “fight floor” is a safety altitude pilots never go below to ensure recovery time during aggressive maneuvers. It lets pilots push their jets to the limit while keeping a buffer above the ground. #F16 #FighterPilot #Jets #Pilot | Shawn Walsh | Facebook