WATCH: Polish F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes During Air Show Rehearsal; Pilot Killed Instantly

A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed and exploded during a rehearsal for a scheduled air show in Radom, central Poland, killing the pilot and prompting the cancellation of the weekend event, Polish military officials have now confirmed.

Represenational Image Source: Polish Heritage Flight on X

The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time and involved a jet from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań. Authorities said no civilians or bystanders were injured in the incident, which happened during an aerobatic maneuver over the airport's runway.

Footage captured by Polish media showed the fighter jet executing a barrel roll before losing control and crashing to the ground, sliding in flames. The impact reportedly caused significant damage to the airstrip.

Rescue operations were launched immediately, but the pilot—who has not yet been publicly named—was pronounced dead at the scene. Poland's Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz visited the crash site and issued a statement mourning the loss.

🚨BREAKING 🚨

📌#Sadków | #Poland

Dramatic and horrifying footage as a F16 fighter jet crashes and bursts into flames training for an upcoming Air Show. The pilot was killed instantly

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— OC Scanner 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 (@OC_Scanner) August 28, 2025

"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," the minister said via social media.

The planned air show in Radom, which was expected to draw thousands of spectators, has now been cancelled in light of the tragedy. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter originally developed by the United States. Poland has been operating the aircraft as part of its air defense forces for over a decade.