Major Epaminondas Kosteas, 40, was on his last flight before going on leave when his T-2E Buckeye trainer went down just outside the fence at Kalamata Air Base in southern Greece. He was the only person aboard, and he died in the crash. Fighter Jets World dated the accident December 27, 2023.
The jet belonged to the 363rd Air Training Squadron of the 120th Air Training Wing. It came down shortly after take-off. Unconfirmed reports say his wife and only child were nearby to salute his departure, and some reports mention an explosion heard before the crash.
Grigoris Kostopoulos, president of the local community of Aris, told Kathimerini.gr he was close to the site. “A noise was heard, a mushroom-shaped cloud formed, and a fire broke out,” he said. He called the fire department right away. Police, firefighters and soldiers later arrived at the scene.
A committee of experts is looking into the cause.
The T-2 is a US-built twin-engine trainer and the only training jet the Hellenic Air Force flies. Young pilots use it mainly in the last phase of their instruction. The aircraft are based at Kalamata with the 120 Air Training Wing, in 362 Squadron “Nestor” and 363 Squadron “Danaos”.
