Kalamata: Major died during his last flight on the T-2 in front of his family

The Greek Air Force is in mourning following a tragic incident that occurred in Kalamata on Wednesday morning.

Major Epaminondas Costea’s flight on the T-2 training aircraft ended tragically: the 40-year-old pilot died.

Tragic game of fate

Costea’s flight on the T-2 training aircraft was his last flight on an aircraft of this type, since he received a transfer to fly T-6 aircraft. For this reason, the pilot wanted his family to be with him on this flight, who, unfortunately, witnessed his death.

His wife and two children were at the 120th Training Wing watching the flight, being the first to hear the bad news that the training plane had crashed and Epaminondas Costea had been found dead. According to people close to the unfortunate major, he had several thousand hours of flight time (about 3,000) on training aircraft since he served for 23 years.

About the tragic end of Epaminondas Costea, they wrote that he died about half a mile from the airfield: according to initial data, he did not have time to open his parachute.

Air Force Statement:
“On Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 11:28 a.m., a T-2E Buckeye from the 363rd Air Training Squadron, 120th Airlift Wing, crashed during a training flight one-half mile northwest of Kalamata Airport, resulting in its pilot, Major (I) Epaminondas Costea, 40 years old, was mortally wounded.”

Three days of mourning
By decision of the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, three days of mourning have been declared in the armed forces – from today, Wednesday, to Friday, December 29 – in connection with the fatal injury in the line of duty of Major (I) Epaminondas Costea, pilot of the T-2E Buckeye aircraft, which crashed half a mile northwest of Kalamata Airport at 11:28 a.m. during a training flight.

The aircraft belonged to the 363rd Training Squadron, 120th Training Wing.

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