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The fatal crash of a fighter jet on the final day of the Dubai Airshow 2025 was a stark reminder that even the most spectacular aviation displays carry real risks.
Air shows are designed to thrill crowds and offer visitors an unforgettable day out, but history has shown that these events can quickly turn tragic. Over the decades, numerous performances have ended in disaster, ranging from accidents that injured pilots to large-scale catastrophes that claimed the lives of spectators.
While most incidents affect the crew alone, some of the deadliest airshow tragedies have had far wider and more heartbreaking consequences. Here’s a look back at some of the most tragic airshow incidents in aviation history.
1. Sknyliv Airshow
The deadliest airshow accident in history occurred on July 27, 2002, near Lviv, Ukraine, when a Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 lost control during a low-altitude aerobatic “rolling dive” and crashed into the airfield, hitting parked aircraft and triggering a massive explosion.
Of the roughly 10,000 spectators, 77 — including 28 children — were killed and 543 injured. Although both pilots managed to eject and survive, they, along with several officials, were later convicted and fined for their roles in the tragedy.
2. Ramstein Airshow
The second-deadliest airshow accident in history occurred on August 28, 1988, at the US Ramstein Air Base in West Germany, when three jets from the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori display team collided mid-air. The planes crashed, igniting a massive fireball that swept across the runway and into the crowd, with debris striking a nearby medical evacuation helicopter. Three pilots and 67 spectators were killed, 356 sustained severe injuries, and nearly 500 people required hospital treatment.
3. Golden West Sport Aviation Show
Twenty-two people were killed and 28 injured, including members of a Little League football team, when a Canadair Sabre Mk. 5 failed to gain enough altitude during takeoff at the Golden West Sport Aviation Show in Sacramento, California, on September 24, 1972.
The jet clipped a chain-link fence at the end of the runway and, travelling at roughly 240kmph, crossed a nearby road before crashing into an ice cream parlor where the football team was celebrating. The pilot, meanwhile, survived with a broken arm and leg.
4. Reno Air Races
A more recent tragedy occurred on September 16, 2011, at the Reno Air Races in Nevada. During the event, the pilot of a heavily modified racing aircraft lost control and slammed into the spectator area, killing 10 people and injuring 69 others.
Investigators later found that extensive modifications had compromised the plane’s stability, causing structural failures that led to a complete loss of control, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the event’s history.
5. The Ostend Airshow
The Ostend Airshow in Ostend, Belgium, turned tragic on July 26, 1997, when a plane crashed near a Red Cross tent and the spectator stands. The event featured a variety of aircraft, including a performance by the Royal Jordanian Falcons, part of the Jordanian Air Force.
During the show, Captain Omar Hani Bilal, piloting a Walter Extra EA300s, lost control of his plane. The aircraft crashed at the end of the runway, killing the pilot and eight spectators, before bursting into flames. Another 40 people on the ground sustained injuries from the crash and resulting explosion.
6. 1973 Paris Airshow
The 1973 Paris Airshow was marred by a tragic accident that killed 14 people when the first production Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic airliner broke apart mid-air during a demonstration flight.
Crewed by a Russian team, the disaster was attributed to a combination of pilot error, mechanical issues, and interference from a French plane photographing the aircraft.
All five crew members, including the pilot, were killed when the plane crashed, and the debris also claimed the lives of eight people on the ground.
7. Canary Islands Airshow
A pilot and four spectators were killed at the Canary Island Air Show on April 8, 1984, attended by roughly 6,000 people at Los Rodeos Airport, the site of a major air disaster seven years earlier.
Shortly after takeoff, a member of Spain’s national aerobatic team lost control of his aircraft, which dived and crashed along the runway. The plane caught fire, bounced 100 yards along the tarmac, and struck a wooden barrier before hitting spectators. An additional 14 people were also injured in the accident.
8. Airshow at Royal Air Force station
A prototype Avro Vulcan bomber crashed during a test flight at the Royal Air Force station in Syerston, Nottinghamshire, UK, killing all four crew members and three spectators.
During a military aviation air show, the plane’s starboard wing disintegrated as it attempted to climb from the runway, causing the aircraft to dive and crash. Three servicemen in a nearby ambulance were also injured in the accident.
9. Bartlesville Biplane Exposition
Four pilots died during the Bartlesville Biplane Exposition on June 2, 1996, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma — an event featuring aerobatic performances by biplanes. During landing, two planes clipped wings — one plane was banking to return to the airport when it was struck from behind by the second aircraft, tearing the wings from both planes. The resulting explosion killed all on board instantly.
10. Indian Air Force Day
Two people were killed and 12 injured during Indian Air Force Day in New Delhi on October 8, 1989, when Wing Commander Ramesh Bakshi crashed a Mirage 2000 while attempting the “Downward Charlie” manoeuvre, which involves a series of low-altitude rolls.
The aircraft struck the ground, triggering fire and explosions that injured spectators. Both the pilot and one spectator succumbed to their injuries.
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