Mystery solved: F-15 flyover in Sacramento part of Capitol celebration of America’s 250th

Talk about a wake-up call, Sacramento.

The four F-15 Eagles that thundered across the Sacramento skyline Thursday morning were part of the California State Senate’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday, ending a morning of speculation after the surprise flyover rattled neighborhoods from downtown to Arden Arcade.

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Jack Christensen, a spokesperson for Sen. Catherine Blakespear’s office, said the F-15C Eagles participated in the Senate’s commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Permit records from the California Highway Patrol’s Capitol detail confirmed the flyover was part of the planned event organized by Blakespear, D-Encinitas, and Senate President pro Tem Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara.

The aircraft flew in formation over the state Capitol at about 8:42 a.m., crossing Sacramento from northwest to southeast at about 340 knots, or roughly 400 mph, before continuing south through the San Joaquin Valley, according to flight-tracking data from ADS-B Exchange.

The jets flew at roughly 1,400 feet above ground level, producing a roar that was heard across downtown, Land Park and Rosemont, according to readers who contacted The Sacramento Bee.

The flyover, typically seen in the afternoons or evenings for sporting events and special celebrations, sparked multiple Reddit threads and social media posts as residents tried to determine who was flying the aircraft and why. One thread had received nearly 100 upvotes and more than 50 comments after being up for about 45 minutes.

Earlier Thursday, spokespeople for Beale, Travis and Edwards Air Force bases, as well as Naval Air Station Lemoore, said the aircraft were not assigned to their installations.

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The identification of the aircraft as F-15Cs points to the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing, based at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, the nearest military unit that operates the aircraft.

Calls to the Fresno station were not immediately returned and officials from the Federal Aviation Administration defered questions to the military.

A flyover Wednesday above the state Capitol featured four T-38 Talons, which later flew over the Athletics game at Sutter Health Park. Thursday’s F-15 flyover was a separate part of celebration of America’s 250th birthday, said a spokesperson for Beale Air Force Base, which hosts a training squadron at the Yuba County installation.

The Bee’s Daniel Hunt contributed to this story.

This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 10:25 AM.