The competent investigative committee of the Hellenic Air Force is seeking answers regarding the causes of the crash of the two-seat F-4E Phantom II fighter aircraft belonging to the 338 Squadron of 117 Combat Wing, as the Armed Forces enter deep mourning over the loss of life of both crew members.
Debris from the F-4E Phantom II fighter jet has already been collected, having scattered across a distance of roughly 200 meters from the crash site, while part of the wreckage landed on the roof of a manufacturing plant.
All findings have been placed under the microscope of the competent air accident investigation board.
Among other elements, investigators are examining surveillance footage that captured the fatal flight from various vantage points, alongside videos recorded by eyewitnesses, to ascertain what caused the sudden loss of altitude that culminated in the ground impact, 3 nautical miles southeast of 114 Combat Wing, claiming the lives of both crew members, Major (Pilot) Ioannis Blesias, 40, and Captain (Pilot) Dimitrios Petrou, 37.
Answers are expected on whether there was any cockpit warning of a malfunction, what precisely triggered the aircraft's loss of altitude, and why the two experienced airmen, with over 1,500 flight hours each, did not eject from the jet in time.
Furthermore, inquiries are assessing whether the pilots attempted to maneuver the aircraft away from inhabited zones and the spectators gathered at the airbase for the «Athens Flying Week 2026» airshow.
In addition, radio transcripts between the two airmen and the air traffic control tower will be carefully scrutinized to establish whether they reported any indication of mechanical failure or other emergency prior to the crash.
The aviation tragedy
The F-4E Phantom II of the 338 Squadron, 117 Combat Wing, which was taking part in the «Athens Flying Week 2026» airshow, crashed 3 nautical miles southeast of 114 Combat Wing, leaving the crowd watching the flight demonstration in shock.
There were no injuries among spectators or local residents, though the impact ignited a blaze at the site that spread to forested brush and parcels adjacent to the industrial area of Oinofyta due to flaming debris.
The crash sequence
As spectators observed the flight program at Tanagra awaiting the F-4 Phantom, the fighter took off, yet roughly two to three nautical miles out it began losing altitude rapidly. It executed a low pass with a steep dive angle and crashed into the ground.
The official announcement reads as follows:
«On Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 14:55, an F-4E Phantom II aircraft of 338 Squadron, 117 Combat Wing, participating in the «Athens Flying Week 2026» Airshow, crashed 3 nautical miles southeast of 114 Combat Wing, resulting in the fatal injury of both crew members, Major (Pilot) Ioannis Blesias, 40, and Captain (Pilot) Dimitrios Petrou, 37.
The causes of the accident are being investigated by a competent committee of the Hellenic Air Force».
Tsigas (Fire Service): Glowing wreckage ignited flames on two fronts
«The blaze erupted on two separate fronts. Glowing fragments of the aircraft created hot spots in woodland terrain as well as in areas near industrial plants», stated the President of the Fire Service Officers' Association, Kostas Tsigas, speaking to ERTnews concerning the extensive containment operation launched after the F-4 Phantom crash in Tanagra.
After expressing condolences to the families of the two fallen aviators, «who remained in the cockpit until the final second and fell in the line of duty, may their memory be eternal, and I hope they are the last uniformed personnel to lose their lives in the performance of their mission», he noted that fire engines and water tankers from the Hellenic Air Force present in the sector were mobilized immediately, alongside the airport fire department. Forces were bolstered by municipal services from Central Greece, with a total mobilization of 115 firefighters, ground teams, fire appliances, aircraft, and helicopters.
Concurrently with containment efforts, an emergency operation was underway to locate the aviators and secure the wreckage.
As Tsigas explained, strong winds blowing across the sector significantly hindered firefighting operations, yet rapid containment prevented the fire from encroaching further onto adjacent woodlands and active industrial facilities. The fire perimeter was fully contained on the night of Saturday, September 5.
#Τανάγρα συντριβή #Phantom Athens Flying Week 2026. pic.twitter.com/GEHQsnlToP
— Matheol (@SMatheol) September 5, 2026
Both pilots confirmed dead
Both airmen were located deceased.
They were 40-year-old Major (Pilot) Ioannis Blesias and 37-year-old Captain (Pilot) Dimitrios Petrou.
Captain Dimitrios Petrou was scheduled to christen his 5-month-old daughter in Katsikas, Ioannina on September 12, while Major Ioannis Blesias was the father of a 5-year-old child.
Condolences from Rutte and defense ministers of France, Portugal, and Cyprus
Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias held telephone consultations with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as with the Defense Ministers of France, Catherine Vautrin, Portugal, Nuno Melo, and the Republic of Cyprus, Vasilis Palmas.
In a statement on X, Dendias noted that during their discussions the officials «expressed sincere condolences to the Hellenic Armed Forces and the families of Major (Pilot) Ioannis Blesias and Captain (Pilot) Dimitrios Petrou».
Mourning across the Armed Forces
By decision of Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, a three-day period of formal military mourning has been declared across the Armed Forces, from Saturday, September 5, 2026 through Monday, September 7, 2026, honoring the loss of life of both crew members of the F-4E Phantom II fighter jet during the Athens Flying Week.
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