F-16 Jet Crashes, Killing Pilot While Practicing For Air Show In Radom, Poland

Posted • August 28, 2025: This is the horrifying moment an F-16 jet nosedives towards the ground and erupts into a fireball after smashing into the runway. The army veteran pilot was found dead as terrifying footage shows the aircraft plummeting through the sky after performing a loop-the-loop. Horrified onlookers in the Polish city of Radom, just 62 miles south of Warsaw, were left with their heads in their hands as they watched the crash during an airshow rehearsal. Video from the scene appears to show the F-16 soaring to high altitude before suddenly dropping at speed. The pilot, believed to be Major Maciej Krakowian, attempts to turn in the air and pull off the stunt but tragically crashes into the ground. The deadly blast was met with a massive plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Footage showed the flaming wreckage of the jet hurtling down the runway at Radom Airport shortly after 5:30pm UK time.

The remains of the aircraft could be seen continuing to burn on the airfield as firefighters rushed to the scene. It is still unclear if the pilot managed to eject and died during the fall or if they were killed instantly in the crash. The Polish military confirmed no one on the ground was injured. (…)

• More at: The Sun - JET CRASH Horror moment F-16 jet crashes sending flames along runway and killing pilot after loop-the-loop practising for air show
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/36481392/pilot-dead-f16-jet-crash-poland/