Military sources describe the ill-fated F-4E Phantom—which crashed yesterday while participating in the “Athens Flying Week 2026,” a short distance from the Tanagra military airfield, claiming the lives of Lieutenant Colonel Ioannis Blesias and Captain Dimitrios Petrou.
According to the same sources, the aircraft was operational and had undergone technical inspections, and was participating as scheduled in yesterday’s air show.
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Moreover, in the case of Hellenic Air Force air shows—such as the recent event marking its 95 years of active presence at Flisvos— older Phantom aircraft also took part in that specific air show, such as the historic Spitfire, which saw action during World War II.
At the same time, the Phantom’s participation yesterday in “Athens Flying Week 2026” consisted of a simple flyby and not an “aerobatic display,” that is, a display involving complex maneuvers, such as those performed by the pilots of the “ZEUS” team with their F-16 fighter jets, the same sources conclude.
READ ALSO: The Day After the Phantom Crash: A Somber Mood in the Air Force, Investigations, and Initial Findings | AlphaNews
Theories about the Phantom crash
As protothema.gr reported earlier, Air Force personnel who knew the two pilots describe them as two highly experienced officers. In fact, according to reports, Captain Ioannis Blesias had logged many flight hours, and aviation ran in his family, as his father had also served in the Air Force.
As for the causes of the crash, investigations are ongoing, with the Air Force currently examining two main scenarios regarding the circumstances under which the accident occurred.
The first scenario being examined is that a problem occurred in the fighter jet due to the pressure it was subjected to during a maneuver at the time of the demonstration, as it is a bomber with a specific mission and capabilities.
The second scenario involves the possibility that a flock of birds—which are present in that area—caused mechanical damage to the aircraft’s engines.
However, if the aircraft had a mechanical problem from the outset, Armed Forces officials estimate that the two unfortunate pilots would have activated the ejection system or reacted in a different way in order to save themselves, but also the aircraft.
The fact that the aircraft crashed outside the Tanagra military airfield is, according to some officials, an indication of the two unfortunate pilots’ attempt to protect the passengers, a detail that remains to be confirmed by the investigation.
Source: PROTO THEMA
