Fighter Jet Blamed For Odd Lights, Boom

KOKOMO, Ind. -- The Indiana Air National Guard said Thursday that its F-16 fighter jets caused loud booms and strings of flare-like lights that lit up the night sky two nights in a row over north-central Indiana.

Tech Sgt. Darin Hubble, of the 122nd Fighter Wing based in Fort Wayne, said F-16 fighter jets have been involved in training missions in the area.

He said the missions often involve F-16 pilots shooting flares and sometimes those missions produce sonic booms that shake the ground below the training area.

"We're allowed to do training missions in that area and our F-16s are equipped with flares that erupt in order to evade heat-seeking missiles. They're a deterrent," Hubble said.

People in the Kokomo area reported that a loud boom shook their homes about 10:30 p.m. Many people believed an airplane had crashed, but no debris was found.

A similar boom was reported Tuesday night over the Logansport area.

Lights in the sky, crashes and vibrations on the ground baffled residents, who began calling authorities right after the rumblings.

Calls flooded dispatch centers and 6News from people concerned that what they had seen and heard might have been a crashing plane, a meteorite or something else.

Larry Smith, Howard County's emergency management director, said the calls continued Thursday morning.

"That's all they're talking about. I had numerous calls asking if it was a sonic boom, a meteor, even some people joking that it was a UFO," he said.

Many said the light display was followed by an explosion -- a boom that shook their homes. A slight metallic smell was reported in Kokomo shortly after the incident.

"It sounded like an explosion or something. I looked up in the sky and saw several balls of flame," said witness Matt Head. "I didn't know if it was an airplane or what it could have been."

Law enforcement combed a 10-mile area in a farm field near U.S. 31 and County Road 300 North in Tipton County searching for debris without success, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported. Tipton County Sheriff Frank Fritch was mystified.

"I've been a sheriff in my fifth term. I've been on the department for 30 years," Fritch said. "This is very, very strange."

"I had heard the boom. It kind of woke me up," said veterinarian Dr. Jack Hughes. "It was louder than anything I'd heard before. You would think a sonic boom from a jet, or something like that. This was big."

Hughes' clinic is near the area crews searched for any sign of debris. Indiana State Police and local sheriff's departments dispatched at least 50 emergency responders to the scene.

David McDonald said he was startled by what he thought was someone shooting a gun behind his house.

"It was totally eerie. What could make that kind of a noise and justify that kind of a response?" McDonald said.

The commander of the unit told 6News that one of the jets went at supersonic speed for a period of 10 seconds and produced the big boom. The jets were flying low and releasing flares in a maneuver that would cause incoming missiles to hit the flares and miss the planes.

The commander apologized for the major distraction to the community and said a young, inexperienced pilot was involved.

In the future, the National Guard promised to notify law enforcement agencies when training is being conducted.

"No UFOs -- just Hoosier airmen trying to protect the skies," said Indiana National Guard Adjutant General Martin Umbarger.