F-15 Passenger Ejects on Ground in Rare Incident

A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle from the 104th Fighter Wing reportedly ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts.

An undated video circulating on social media shows the aftermath. As the jet taxied, a puff of smoke rose from the backseat, and the canopy—blown off during the ejection—landed on the left wing. The passenger is seen crawling near the runway beside what appears to be a parachute, while the F-15 continues moving.

A near zero-zero ejection, meaning no speed or altitude, carries significant risks. While accidental ejections are rare, this is not the first time a ride-along passenger has been unintentionally launched from a tactical jet.

According to a post by the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, the passenger was on an incentive flight and may have been a recruiting officer from the 104th Fighter Wing. However, the individual’s identity has not been officially confirmed.

The 104th Fighter Wing has been contacted for comment, and further details will be provided as they become available.

The exact cost of an F-15 ejection seat—specifically the ACES II system used in that aircraft—is not publicly disclosed. These seats are highly specialized, military-grade life-saving systems, and pricing details are typically kept confidential. There is no publicly available figure for a complete, operational ACES II ejection seat as used in an F-15, as these are classified military components with proprietary pricing. However, given the extreme engineering, safety, and certification standards involved, it is reasonable to conclude that each seat likely costs well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars—or more—in today’s terms. The $700 million contract for next-generation ejection seats further underscores the substantial investment required per aircraft.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com