The 1988 Ramstein air show collision killed 70 people and was the deadliest air show accident in history until 2002.
Key Facts
- Date
- 28 August 1988
- Fatalities
- 70 (67 spectators, 3 pilots)
- Seriously injured
- 346 spectators
- Crowd size
- Approximately 30,000
- Display team involved
- Italian Air Force (Frecce Tricolori)
- Record held until
- 2002 Sknyliv air show disaster (77 killed)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Italian Air Force aerobatic display team was performing at the Flugtag '88 airshow at USAF Ramstein Air Base near Kaiserslautern, West Germany, before a crowd of approximately 30,000 spectators on 28 August 1988.
Three aircraft of the Italian Air Force display team collided mid-air during their performance and crashed to the ground, triggering a large explosion and fire directly in front of the spectator area.
The disaster killed 70 people, including 67 spectators and all 3 pilots involved, while 346 spectators sustained serious injuries and hundreds more suffered minor ones. It remained the deadliest air show accident in history until the 2002 Sknyliv disaster in Ukraine.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 70 (other)