Poland is mourning the death of an experienced military pilot, Major Robert “Killer” Jeł, whose M-346 aircraft crashed on July 12, 2024, as it was rehearsing for an air exhibition in Gdynia, on Poland’s Baltic coast.
The accident, which took place ahead of an event celebrating Poland’s Naval Aviation Brigade 30th anniversary, was caught on camera by several bystanders.
Footage shows the aircraft crashing into the ground at high speed which resulted in a large fireball and plume of smoke. The incident appears to have happened within the perimeter of the airbase where the pilot was training.
The aircraft, an Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer jet, was part of a new aerobatic team, the “M-346 Demo Team”, which was set up in 2023.
Before the crash, the Polish Air Force was operating a fleet of 16 M-346 aircraft.
