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Pilot killed after Polish F-16 Tiger Demo crashes
A Polish Air Force pilot died after his F-16 fighter jet crashed on Aug. 28, 2025 during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland.
The F-16 was flown by Major Maciej “SLAB” Krakowian and belonged to the service F-16 Tiger Demo Team.
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X after arriving at the crash scene;
“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.”
According to the General Command of the Armed Forces no bystander was injured and the crash involved an F-16 belonging to the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan.
“Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the scene,” it said in a statement.
Radom Airshow cancelled
As shown by videos circulating online the F-16 appears to perform a looping and then crashing in flames as it slid on the ground.
As reported by Reuters, local media said the aircraft crashed into the runway around 1730 GMT and damaged it, and the Radom Airshow planned for the weekend has been cancelled.
The Lokcheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is currently the most numerous combat aircraft in NATO. Originally developed for the USAF as a day fighter, the F-16 has evolved into a highly capable multi-role combat aircraft that despite flying for the first time in 1974 is still in production. Over 4,500 F-16s have been produced over the past 50 years and 3,000 of them are still in service with 25 nations around the world. The most recent version is called the Block 70/72 and includes a new cockpit, computers, and an advanced AESA radar based on the one installed in the F-35.
Polish Air Force F-16C/Ds
Poland ordered 48 Block 52 F-16C/D’s during April 2003 and received their first flight in the US less than three years later in March 2006. The type replaced the MiG-21 and some Su-22s in Polish service and was the first Western combat aircraft to join their air force as part of their NATO commitments. The Polish operate three squadrons of F-16s, two are based at Poznan including 6ELT who are members of the NATO Tiger Association. A third squadron is based at Lask.
As already reported, Poland has recently signed a contract to upgrade its F-16 fighter jets to F-16V Block 72. Deliveries of the upgraded aircraft expected to take place between 2030 and 2038.
Photo credit: Graham Haley via Wikipedia
