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4h ago

Polish F-16 Crashes During Radom Airshow Rehearsal, Killing Pilot as Event Is Canceled

Military prosecutors, alongside police, are probing the runway strike, with officials reporting no injuries on the ground.

People stand near the scene where a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow, in Radom, Poland August 28, 2025. Agencja Wyborcza.pl/Marcin Kucewicz via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. POLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN POLAND. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Overview

  • Officials identified the pilot as Major Maciej “Slab” Krakowian, leader of the Polish Air Force’s F-16 Tiger Demo Team from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań.
  • The jet impacted the runway at Warsaw–Radom Airport around 7:25–7:30 p.m. local time during a display practice, damaging the airstrip.
  • Videos shared by local media show the aircraft executing an aerobatic maneuver before diving into the runway, with no ejection visible.
  • AirSHOW Radom 2025, scheduled for this weekend, was canceled shortly after the crash as emergency crews and military units secured the site.
  • Defense leaders, including Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Prime Minister Donald Tusk, issued condolences, while investigators have not yet determined the cause.