Greek air force investigators are combing through footage captured by security cameras and spectators' phones as they try to determine what caused an F-4 Phantom fighter jet to crash during a weekend display at Tanagra air base, killing both pilots aboard.
The aircraft went down at low altitude near the runway during a demonstration tied to the Athens Flying Week air show, slamming into the ground between two hangars that then caught fire.
Both crew members, described by the air force as experienced officers, were killed instantly.
According to Greek broadcaster ERT, the investigative commission is gathering all available evidence — including video recordings, communications with the control tower, wreckage and the ejection seats — to establish the cause of the crash.
Military sources told ERT that no scenario has been ruled out.
Investigators are focusing on the jet's flight plan, which called for a steep climb after takeoff, a left turn over the crowd watching the show, and then a sharp right turn to realign with the runway at low altitude and high speed.
The Phantom suffered a sudden loss of altitude during that right turn, about 2 to 3 nautical miles from the runway, before crashing.
The Greek armed forces have declared three days of mourning for the pilots.
One of the two, 37, had been due to baptize his daughter this weekend, according to Greek media reports; both men were fathers of young children.
The F-4 Phantom is among the oldest aircraft types still flown by the Hellenic Air Force and has long been a fixture of Athens Flying Week, one of the largest air shows in southeastern Europe.