Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster The Ramstein airshow disaster is the second-deadliest airshow disaster (#1 is the 2002 Sknyliv Ukr accident). It took place in front of an audience of about 300,000 people on August 28, 1988. 67 spectators & 3 pilots died, 346 spectators had serious injuries from the explosion and fire. 10 Italian AF display team jets were performing their 'pierced heart’ formation. Two groups of acft create a heart shape in front of audience along the rwy. The heart is then pierced, in the direction of audience, by a lone aircraft (at 45m AGL).

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster The collision took place as the 2 heart-forming groups passed each other & the heart-piercing acft hit them. The piercing acft crashed onto the rwy; both the fuselage and resulting fireball tumbled into the spectator area, hitting the crowd. At the same time, one of the damaged aircraft crashed into the AE Blackhawk helicopter, injuring the pilot, Capt Kim Strader. Capt Strader died weeks later from burns suffered in the accident. The pilot of the acft that hit the helicopter ejected, but was killed as he hit the runway before his parachute opened. The 3rd acft disintegrated in the collision and parts of it were spread along the rwy. After the crash, the remaining acft regrouped and landed at Sembach AB.

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster

Flugtag ‘88 Airshow Disaster