An F-16 fighter jet crashed spectacularly during a practice session for the Radom International Air Show in Poland. The incident occurred at approximately 7.25 pm local time, involving a member of the Tiger Demo Team, the official air display team of the Polish Air Force.
Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft nosedive towards the runway, failing to recover before hitting the ground. The jet erupted into flames upon impact, prompting immediate action from firefighters who rushed to the scene. Local reports indicate that the pilot did not eject from the aircraft during the rehearsal.
The Radom International Air Show, set to take place this weekend on August 30-31, is the largest aviation event in Poland, with 90,000 tickets sold. Lieutenant Marcin Helak, a spokesman for the event, stated, "This is undoubtedly the largest aviation event in Poland, both in terms of the programme and the number of spectators."
The crashed F-16 is believed to belong to the Polish Air Force and is part of the Tiger Demo Team, which operates from the Poznań-Krzesiny military airfield. The incident has cast a shadow over the upcoming air show, which attracts thousands of aviation enthusiasts from around the world.