Two U.S. Air Force pilots ejected safely from a T-6A Texan II training aircraft Thursday evening after the plane showed signs its landing gear was unsafe to use, officials said, sending the single-engine trainer down in a field near Seguin, Texas, roughly 35 miles east of San Antonio.

The bailout happened at about 5:51 p.m. local time, according to a news release from Joint Base San Antonio cited by CBS News. The aircraft was assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing, which runs primary pilot training out of JBSA-Randolph. Both crew members were being evaluated by local medical personnel afterward; their conditions were not immediately released.

The T-6A Texan II is a two-seat, single-engine trainer that the Air Force and Navy use to teach basic flying skills to new pilots before they move on to more advanced aircraft. According to officials, the crew noticed indications the landing gear was not safe for a normal landing, consulted with ground experts, and was advised to eject rather than attempt to bring the plane down.

CONTROLLED BAILOUT — BOTH AIRCREW SAFE

That is the phrase Joint Base San Antonio used to describe the incident, a framing that distinguishes it from an uncontrolled crash: the pilots had time to assess the problem and make a deliberate decision to leave the aircraft rather than being forced out by a sudden failure.

A Fleet With a Known History

The T-6A fleet has had a bumpy mechanical record. In 2022, the Air Force grounded T-6s along with hundreds of other trainers after inspectors found a potential defect in the ejection seat's cartridge-actuated devices. The aircraft type has also been involved in fatal mishaps over the years, including a 2024 incident at Sheppard Air Force Base in which an instructor pilot died after his ejection seat activated on the ground. A prior Air Force accident investigation into a separate T-6 mishap illustrates how seriously the service treats even non-fatal incidents involving the trainer.

Thursday's episode appears to have ended with no injuries beyond what medical evaluation might still reveal, and no damage to property on the ground has been reported. The Air Force routinely convenes a safety investigation board after any ejection to determine the root mechanical cause — in this case, why the landing gear indicated unsafe — separate from any legal or accountability review.

Joint Base San Antonio has not said how long flight operations involving the affected squadron will be paused, if at all, while investigators examine the aircraft's gear system. The base said more information would be released as the investigation into the cause progresses.