SHOCK VIDEO: Polish F-16 Crashes in a Fireball After Failed Barrel Roll Maneuver

Horrifying footage has emerged of the moment a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed and burst into flames on Thursday, after coming out of a barrel roll too late while rehearsing for an airshow event.

Footage recorded by those gathered to watch showed the U.S.-made jet soaring into the sky in a wide loop before hitting the ground and exploding across the runway. The pilot was killed in the incident.

The crash took place during late-stage rehearsals, according to Polish media, ahead of the Radom Airshow — one of Europe’s largest aviation events — set for this weekend. Authorities stressed that no bystanders were injured and that rescue efforts were “immediately initiated at the scene.”

The aircraft, part of the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan, was one of Poland’s front-line fighters, a fleet seen as vital to the country’s security as Warsaw positions itself at the forefront of NATO’s eastern flank.

Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who traveled to the site, said: “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 pilot was not immediately identified.

After the crash, the Radom Airshow was canceled.

Watch above via X.