Crash Report

Published: 8/31/1999

There have been three reports of recent air crashes. On August 17th 1999, a Romanian Mig-21 Lancer, which had been upgraded by the Israeli company, Elbit, crashed during a training flight, some three km from the runway at Bakau military airfield at Bakau. The fighter was unable to gain sufficient speed and altitude after takeoff. Rompress reported that the two pilots suffered concussion, but, according to sources from the Mediafax Agency, one of the pilots is in a critical condition, because his parachute failed to open. The crash comes after comments from a number Russian companies, including Sokol currently building Russia's own MiG-21 upgrade, relating to the safety of upgrades undertaken outside of Russia. According to the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Emergency Situations, an Su-24 belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force crashed recently during a training flight near the village of Liplyany, in the Kivertsovsky region. The two pilots escaped, using the ejector seats. No one was injured. RIA Novosti reported that, on August 26th 1999, an Uzbekistan Havo Yullary Yak-40 crashed during a flight from Tashkent to Turkul. According to Colonel Alexander Lim, officer on duty at the Uzbekistan Ministry of Emergency Situations, the aircraft, which was carrying 28 passengers and 4 crew, crashed at the end of the runway in a cotton field. It did not catch fire. Reports suggest that two passengers died in the crash and four were hospitalised. Representatives of MAK (Interstate Aviation Committee) and the Yakolev Design Bureau are investigating the crash.

Article ID: 809