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Two Killed as Greek Air Force F-4 Phantom Crashes at Tanagra Air Show
(MENAFN) Two pilots died Saturday when a Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom went down during an aerial display at the Tanagra air show, according to local media reports.
A Greek state broadcaster said the jet crashed shortly before 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT), though the exact circumstances remain unclear. A reporter for the broadcaster at the scene described the aircraft suddenly losing altitude before slamming into the ground, followed immediately by an explosion.
The crash unfolded just minutes into the Greek Air Force's aerial demonstration, in full view of thousands of spectators gathered for the event.
Greek media later reported that both pilots aboard — a captain and a lieutenant colonel — were found dead, though it remains unconfirmed whether the jet's ejection seats had fired before impact. The aircraft belonged to the 117th Combat Wing, stationed at Andravida.
Firefighting crews scrambled a helicopter to douse flames sparked by the wreckage. Early accounts indicate the aircraft broke apart into two pieces on impact, with fire breaking out at two separate points across the crash site.
An air accident investigation board has opened an inquiry, reviewing footage captured by event organizers alongside radio traffic exchanged between the crew and air traffic control in the moments before the crash. Investigators have not yet determined a cause.
Greek media noted that Greece's F-4 Phantom II fleet — among the oldest aircraft in its arsenal — is slated for full retirement by the end of the decade.
A Greek state broadcaster said the jet crashed shortly before 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT), though the exact circumstances remain unclear. A reporter for the broadcaster at the scene described the aircraft suddenly losing altitude before slamming into the ground, followed immediately by an explosion.
The crash unfolded just minutes into the Greek Air Force's aerial demonstration, in full view of thousands of spectators gathered for the event.
Greek media later reported that both pilots aboard — a captain and a lieutenant colonel — were found dead, though it remains unconfirmed whether the jet's ejection seats had fired before impact. The aircraft belonged to the 117th Combat Wing, stationed at Andravida.
Firefighting crews scrambled a helicopter to douse flames sparked by the wreckage. Early accounts indicate the aircraft broke apart into two pieces on impact, with fire breaking out at two separate points across the crash site.
An air accident investigation board has opened an inquiry, reviewing footage captured by event organizers alongside radio traffic exchanged between the crew and air traffic control in the moments before the crash. Investigators have not yet determined a cause.
Greek media noted that Greece's F-4 Phantom II fleet — among the oldest aircraft in its arsenal — is slated for full retirement by the end of the decade.
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