Warsaw, Poland: A tragic accident occurred on Thursday when a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for the upcoming Radom AirSHOW in central Poland, claiming the life of a Polish Army pilot. Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed the incident and described it as a “great loss for the Air Force.”
Footage of the crash, which quickly went viral on social media, shows the fighter jet performing a barrel-roll aerobatic maneuver before suddenly plummeting to the ground. Upon impact, the aircraft exploded into a massive fireball and continued to slide across the runway for several meters, engulfed in flames. The aircraft involved belonged to the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań, according to the General Command of the Armed Forces, no bystanders were injured during the incident.
The accident occurred around 17:30 GMT (11:00 PM IST), prompting immediate emergency response at the site. In light of the tragedy, the organizers have officially cancelled the Radom Airshow 2025, which was scheduled to take place over the upcoming weekend.
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz took to X (formerly Twitter) from the scene of the crash to pay tribute to the fallen pilot. “In the F-16 plane crash, a Polish Army pilot killed an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, I offer my deepest condolences,” he wrote.
Jestem na miejscu tragedii. W katastrofie samolotu F-16 zginął pilot Wojska Polskiego – oficer, który zawsze służył Ojczyźnie z oddaniem i wielką odwagą.
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) August 28, 2025
Składam hołd Jego pamięci.
Rodzinie i bliskim składam najgłębsze wyrazy współczucia.
To wielka strata dla Sił Powietrznych i…
The Deputy Prime Minister further emphasized the magnitude of the loss, stating, “This is a great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army,” highlighting the impact of the incident on Poland’s military aviation community. Investigations into the cause of the crash are expected to be launched immediately, with authorities seeking to determine the exact circumstances that led to the catastrophic accident.
