3 Jets Collide Midair During Italian Demo Team Display

All pilots survive as their aircraft are able to land safely, with one needing to veer off the runway.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, May 07, 2025 at 12:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows) aerobatic demonstration team flies in formation during a performance. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Three Italian Air Force Frecce Tricolori pilots survived a midair collision involving three MB-339 jets during a practice flight for the Pantelleria Airshow.
The accident occurred when one jet collided with two others while flying in inverted formation, resulting in serious tail damage to two aircraft and a nosewheel issue for the third.
All pilots successfully landed their damaged aircraft, with no serious injuries reported, though one pilot may have sustained a broken leg.
Investigators are currently reviewing video footage of the incident to determine the cause of the collision.

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Three pilots from the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team lived to tell the story after being involved in a midair collision Tuesday. The accident took place during practice for the Pantelleria Airshow in Italy.

According to a release from the Italian Air Force, the three pilots were flying their MB-339s in inverted formation when one of the jets collided with the other two.