Today, during a rehearsals for the Gdynia Naval Aviation Brigade’s 30th Anniversary event, Polish Air Force’s M-346 Demo Team jet crashed during its flying display.
The aircraft performed a barrel roll and then dived towards the ground. It seems that for some unknown reason, the pilot was unable to get the aircraft above the ground and hit the airport runway. Fortunately, the impact occurred in a place where there were no people or other aircraft. The aircraft exploded and broke into several pieces.
Major General Nowak Ireneusz, Inspector of the Polish Air Force, General Command of the Armed Forces, confirmed the fatality, stating that the pilot, who was serving as the deputy squadron commander, died instantly. He added that he was one of the two most experienced M-346 pilots in Poland.
Founded last year, the M-346 aerobatic team debuted at Poland’s largest air show, in Radom, in east-central Poland.
