Fighter jet pilot killed in fireball crash during stunt for Radom airshow in Poland

A pilot has been killed after his fighter jet crashed into the runway during practice for an airshow in Poland.

The F-16 crashed during preparations for the Radon Airshow in front of horrified people gathered to watch on Thursday.

Details are still emerging on what caused the crash during the Tiger Demo team’s practice at around 7.30pm local time.

Witnesses said the fighter jet suddenly nose-dived into the runway too quickly for the pilot to eject.

The F-16 burst into flames and skidded along the runway.

Deputy prime minister of Poland Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz paid tribute to the ‘courageous’ military pilot.

He said: ‘I am at the scene of the tragedy. In the F-16 plane crash, a Polish Army pilot died – an officer who always served the Fatherland with dedication and great courage.

‘I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, I offer my deepest condolences. This is a great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army.’

The Radom Air Show attracts thousands of people from across the globe to the biannual celebration of military aircraft.

Aircraft perform daring stunts at the most popular air show in Poland.

The $20million F-16 Fighting Falcon is a supersonic fighter aircraft can reach a top speed of 1,500 mph.

The Radom Air Show has seen two air crashes since it was established in 2001.

In 2007, three Zlin Z-526 were flying toward a central point when two of the aircraft, one piloted by Piotr Banachowicz and the other by Lech Marchelewski, struck each other at right angles, killing them both.

Two years later, a Belarusian Sukhoi Su-27UBM crashed while performing.