A Polish Air Force Tiger Demo Team General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed on the evening of August 28, 2025, during preparations for the Radom Air Show.
The pilot was showcasing multiple maneuvers. During the display, the pilot attempted a loop-de-loop at a low altitude. The aircraft exited the maneuver too low. As a result, the F-16 collided with the terrain.
Government spokesman Adam Szlapka confirmed the pilot’s death on the social media platform X but gave no further details.
The accident occurred at around 19:25 local time. Footage of the incident shows the aircraft entered a steep descent over the runway and failed to recover, striking the ground and bursting into flames.
Emergency services launched a rescue operation immediately after the crash. Initial information suggests the pilot did not eject from the aircraft before impact. Rescuers remained at the site into the evening.
The Radom Air Show, due to begin on August 30, 2025, is one of Central Europe’s largest aviation events and typically attracts tens of thousands of visitors. This year’s lineup includes the Polish F-16 Tiger Demo, the UK’s Red Arrows, Greece’s “Zeus” F-16 Demo Team, as well as Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale displays.
Poland’s F-16 Tiger Demo is the Air Force’s official F-16 display team. The team is associated with the 31st Tactical Air Base at Poznań-Krzesiny, which operates F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft. Ahead of the air show, the team’s official page flagged a familiarization flight over Radom at 19:00.
