Radom F-16 crash: Polish Air Force pilot dies during airshow rehearsal

Emma Trehane

August 29, 2025
4 min read

Radom F-16 crash: Polish Air Force pilot dies during airshow rehearsal

The Radom F-16 crash claimed the life of a Polish Air Force pilot during a rehearsal in central Poland on Thursday, officials confirmed. The single-seat jet from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań went down at Radom’s military-civil airport during a practice display, prompting an immediate emergency response and the cancellation of this weekend’s airshow.

Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, said the pilot “served his country with dedication and courage” in a message posted on X. The armed forces added that no bystanders were injured and that standard investigative procedures had begun under the oversight of the Ministry of National Defence and the General Command of the Polish Armed Forces.

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Witness clips circulating in Polish media appear to show the F-16 entering a barrel-roll manoeuvre before striking the runway and sliding in flames. Officials said the Radom F-16 crash damaged the runway, forcing organisers to call off the show while investigators collect flight data, maintenance records and pilot communications.

The Air Force operates the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, a multi-role aircraft widely used across NATO, detailed in the U.S. Air Force’s official fact sheet. Display flying in Europe has become more tightly regulated since past accidents, with stricter separation from crowds and conservative routine approvals. Even with those measures, rehearsal flights carry inherent risk; Polish authorities have not suggested a cause and urged against speculation while the inquiry is under way.

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About Author

Emma Trehane

Emma Trehane is what happens when academia meets adrenaline. She’s run surf hostels, taught Sports and the Humanities, earned a PhD in English Literature, lectured on Romantic poetry, and somehow still found time to found EyeOnLondon - a multimedia platform telling the stories others miss. Her career spans broadsheet editing, media consultancy in the City, and producing reels on everything from Lucian Freud to the Silk Roads. Emma’s equally at home in the British Library or behind the camera, usually balancing a tripod, a script, and a strong opinion. A Freeman of the City of London and a member of the Chelsea Arts Club, she now channels her experience into journalism, storytelling, and the occasional martial arts session to clear her head.