A Polish F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an international air show in central Poland, killing an Air Force pilot. Footage shared on social media showed the jet before erupting into flames.

The accident occurred on Thursday night at Radom airport, where the aircraft exploded after hitting the ground during an aerobatic manoeuvre, according to the General Command of the Armed Forces.

In a viral video of the crash, which was posted on X (formerly Twitter), the jet is seen performing a barrel roll before dropping straight to the ground, where it exploded into a fireball. The jet, engulfed in fire, skidded on the runway for a few meters before emergency responders came into contact with the plane.

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Polish Government’s reaction

Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the death of the pilot in the accident and paid a tribute to his service.

“A Polish Army pilot died in the crash of an F-16 aircraft – an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory,” he wrote on X after visiting the crash site.

“No bystander suffered any injury in the crash that took place at around 7.30 pm local time (11.00 pm IST). The accident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan, “ the General Command of the Armed Forces declared in their statement to the press.

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Post-crash developments

Firefighters and emergency crews were immediately deployed to address the situation. However, they were unable to save the pilot, who was part of NATO’s elite “Tiger Demo” unit, as he failed to eject himself from the aircraft before the plane hit the ground.

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The crash prompted organisers to cancel AirSHOW Radom 2025, which had been scheduled for this weekend. The event, one of Poland’s largest aviation displays, regularly attracts international participants and audiences.