Crazy jet fighter pilots: CHECK! Crazy bomber pilots: CHECK! Crazy airliner pilots: CHECK! Crazy military transport pilots: Watch this crazy pilot flying this Swedish Air Force' Hercules C-130 as low as five meters and just over the head of his colleagues.


Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet says the pilot who flew the Hercules declared that "it was just for fun." His superiors, however, weren't very amused. Swedish Air Force chief Jan Andersson gave the order to suspend the pilot and start a formal investigation: "until further notice, he's grounded."


Johan Svetoft, the official in charge of the investigation, told Aftonbladet that "there was absolutely no margin [of error]. It could have been a disaster with just a minimum disturbance" like a gust of wind or a power failure. Apparently, some of his colleagues didn't find it funny either. Thomas Hagman, in charge of the paratrooper training exercise that was taking place during the stunt outside the Flugebyn Karlsborg airfield, said that it was "unacceptable to break the rules."

True. But cut the guy some slack, buddy. The internet will love you for that. [Aftonbladet—In Swedish]

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Update: As a reader points out, another Hercules just crashed in Sweden while practicing low-altitude flying (in Swedish). Irony can be cruel.

Update 2: Reader Åsmund Hope tell us more about the accident:

I was just reading your story about the Swedish plane, and just wanted to let you know there was a crash with a plane of the same type in northern Sweden this thursday. The plane was a 2 year old C130J from the Norwegian Airforce taking part in the «Cold Response» NATO exersise taking place in the northern parts of Norway and Sweden right now. The crew of 5 was killed instantly as the plane hit the mountain Kebnekaise during the tactical flying in bad weather as part of the exersice. This was 1 of only 4 C130J in the Norwegian Airforce and a big loss for the Airforce here.