On Thursday, a tragic accident occurred during training for Saturday’s air show at Kosakowo Airport near Gdynia. An M-346 Bielik training jet from the 4th Aviation Training Wing in Dęblin crashed on the airfield, killing the pilot, Major Robert “Killer” Jeł, on the spot.
“He has departed for the “Eternal Watch”… It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that today, during a training flight of the M-346 Bielik at the 43rd Naval Aviation Base in Gdynia Babie Doły, Major Pilot Robert “Killer” Jeł tragically died. Sharing in the grief and sadness, we extend our condolences to his family and loved ones,”
Armed Forces General Command of Poland wrote on X.
Odszedł na „Wieczną Wartę"… Z głębokim żalem zawiadamiamy, że dzisiaj podczas wykonywania lotu treningowego M-346 Bielik na lotnisku 43 Bazy Lotnictwa Morskiego w Gdyni Babich-Dołach zginął tragicznie mjr pil. Robert „Killer" Jeł.
— Dowództwo Generalne (@DGeneralneRSZ) July 12, 2024
Łącząc się w żałobie i smutku przekazujemy… pic.twitter.com/F698yYfIFc
Major Jeł was one of the two most experienced pilots of this aircraft in Poland, with over 1,100 hours of flight time on the M-346 Bielik.
The State Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission will investigate the circumstances of the crash. Gen. Nowak stated that all flights of the M-346 Bielik have been suspended due to this tragic event. At a conference at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, Gen. Nowak emphasized that, to his knowledge, the pilot did not report any problems during the flight.
A Polish Air Force Alenia Aermacchi (now Leonardo) M-346 Master (called Bielik in POL service, meaning Bald Eagle) crashed in Gdynia, Poland while training for an airshow. One of the M-346 Demo Team pilots was on board. RIP Major Robert "Killer" Jeł. pic.twitter.com/j54OqUPeFK
— FirstDagger (@FirstDagger) July 12, 2024
The M-346 Bielik is a two-seat, twin-engine training jet of Italian manufacture, used by the Polish Air Force. The aircraft that crashed was performing low-altitude aerobatics when it suddenly began to plummet and collided with the ground.
Due to this tragedy, the 30th-anniversary celebrations of the Naval Aviation Brigade, scheduled to take place in Gdynia, have been cancelled. Poland has lost a distinguished pilot and instructor, leaving the entire aviation community in mourning.