A Hellenic Air Force two-seat F-4E Phantom II fighter jet crashed on September 5, 2026, during an aerial display at an airshow held at Tanagra Air Base (LGTG) near Athens, killing both pilots on board. According to Greek officials, the aircraft was performing a low-level solo demonstration at the time of the accident and crashed while maneuvering. Authorities confirmed that the crash site was located approximately two kilometers from the airfield and that no bystanders or spectators on the ground were injured.
Data from the Aviation Safety Network indicated that the involved aircraft was a McDonnell Douglas F-4E AUP Phantom II operated by the 338th Squadron of the 117th Combat Wing. According to the tracking reports, the fighter came in too low while approaching runway 28C, striking trees and an industrial building before bursting into flames approximately three kilometers from the runway threshold. Greek officials emphasized that the official cause and specific circumstances of the crash remain under active investigation, with no formal findings determined yet.
Greece originally acquired approximately 120 F-4 Phantoms across multiple batches starting in 1974, comprising both new-build aircraft and second-hand jets from the US Air National Guard and the German Luftwaffe. Over decades of operation, around 33 Greek Phantoms have been lost to accidents. The surviving operational aircraft were upgraded under the Avionics Upgrade Programme (AUP), with only modernized F-4E AUP variants remaining in active military service with the 338th Squadron "Ares" based at Andravida.
In 2024, Greece announced comprehensive air force modernization plans that include phased retirements of its ageing F-4 Phantoms, older F-16 Block 30s, and Mirage 2000-5 fighters, while introducing new Dassault Rafales and F-35s alongside upgrades to Block 50 F-16s. The retirement schedule for the remaining F-4 fleet is linked directly to the arrival of replacement F-35A fighters, suggesting the aircraft could remain operational into the late 2020s, although no finalized retirement date has been officially confirmed. Greece remains one of only three nations worldwide still operating the Cold War-era F-4 Phantom.
