Maj. Maciej “Slab” Krakowian

Author/Editor: Maria Anna Furman

Maj. Maciej “Slab” Krakowian, a display pilot, leader of the F-16 Tiger Demo Team, and an instructor at the 31st Tactical Air Base in Poznań–Krzesiny. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. The tragic flight of a hero of the Polish skies.

On August 28, 2025, in Radom, during rehearsals for the international AirSHOW aviation display, a tragedy occurred that will forever be etched in the history of Polish aviation. During an evening training session, a Polish F-16 from the Tiger Demo Team struck the runway. At the controls was Major Maciej “Slab” Krakowian—a seasoned pilot, team commander, instructor, and a man of great passion and courage. He died at the scene, leaving behind a void impossible to fill.

Major Krakowian was not an ordinary pilot. He was a symbol of dreams of the sky, a man who devoted his life to serving the Homeland and perfecting the art of flight. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, with over a thousand hours in the cockpit of the F-16, he became one of the most recognisable Polish aviators. Less than a month before the tragedy, he received the prestigious “As the Crow Flies Trophy” at the Royal International Air Tattoo in the United Kingdom. This distinction was proof not only of his skill but also of the admiration he inspired within the aviation community worldwide.

Witnesses say that on that day, the F-16 rose majestically into the sky, performing aerobatics that had delighted audiences for years. The manoeuvre, intended to be another display of precision and courage, ended in disaster. The aircraft descended too low, and only seconds separated it from returning to a safe trajectory. There was no time for rescue. The jet plunged onto the runway, erupting in flames. Major Krakowian—faithful to his mission to the very end—died alone in the cockpit.

News of the tragedy spread through the aviation world and the international community. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote: “A pilot who always served his Homeland with dedication and great courage has gone on eternal watch.” Condolences poured in from NATO allied countries, and colleagues from aviation squadrons bade him farewell on social media with words such as: “A legend of the Polish skies,” “A friend and mentor,” “A man who cannot be replaced.”

Radom, a city that had lived for years with its air shows, fell silent. The organisers cancelled AirSHOW 2025, and tickets were refunded amid sadness and disbelief. There were no fanfares, no roar of engines. Instead, an emptiness remained, along with the awareness that the spectacle intended as a celebration of aviation had become a place of mourning.

A hero whom the sky will not give back

The death of Major Krakowian is not only a loss for the Polish Air Force, but also for all who believe in the beauty of aviation and the dedication of people with passion. He was not only a pilot, but also an ambassador of Polish aeronautical mastery, a teacher, and an inspiration to young adepts of the art of flight.

What remains is the memory of a man who believed to the end that the sky is a realm of freedom. And perhaps it is there, high above the clouds, that Major Maciej “Slab” Krakowian found his final flight.

Author/Editor: Maria Anna Furman