A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet has crashed this evening while training for the upcoming Radom Air Show, tragically killing the pilot. The incident occurred as the aircraft, part of the Polish F-16 Tiger Demo Team, was performing a maneuver over the runway at Radom Airport.
Government spokesman Adam Szłapka and Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the death of the pilot, with the minister calling the loss “a great tragedy for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army.” Eyewitnesses reported seeing the jet enter a steep descent and fail to recover before crashing into the runway and bursting into flames.
The Radom Air Show, one of Central Europe’s largest aviation events, was scheduled to open this weekend but has been canceled following the crash. The Polish military has confirmed that no one on the ground was injured. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
