Two aircraft of the Patrouille Suisse, the Swiss Air Force aerobatic team, narrowly avoided a catastrophic air disaster during a training session.
During a training session above Baar in central Switzerland on June 15, 2023, involving six Tiger F-5 jets, two of the aircraft brushed against each other.
The collision caused part of the nose of one of the aircraft to detach, which subsequently struck the facade of a building. The impact shattered windows, resulting in minor injuries to one person caused by glass shards, the Swiss Air Force reported. The collision also triggered the braking parachute of one of the jets.
Fortunately, though the jet whose parachute triggered lost altitude quickly, the two affected aircraft remained airborne.
The six F-5 Tiger aircraft that participated in the training were able to land at Emmen Air Base, their home base located 23 kilometers (14 miles) away from Baar. No injuries were reported among the pilots.
“The Air Force has decided to suspend the flight service of the Patrouille Suisse,” the Swiss military reported. “As a result, the planned aerial demonstration at the yodeling festival in Zug this weekend will not take place.”
An investigation into the incident was opened.
