Media: Russian fighter aicraft that crashed in Syria experienced engine failure
The Russian Su-30SM fighter aircraft that crashed after takeoff from Khmeimim airbase in Syria on May 4 had Khmeimim airbase in Syria on May 4 experienced an engine failure. The newspaper Kommersant reports, citing a source of in the military command, that there was a sharp drop in power of one of the engines before the fighter crashed. The exact cause of the crash will be determined only after the flight recorders are recovered from the water.
According to the newspaper, the aircraft began experiencing problems immediately after takeoff. The crew of two was supposed to make a patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea. Before takeoff, the preflight preparation for the fighter was completed.
After ascending to a height of 200 meters, the plane’s nose began to dip down. The pilots could have ejected, but instead they tried to bring the plane under control and return to the Khmeimim Airbase.
The crash occurred when the aircraft was trying to turn. The airplane crashed into the sea, and the left wing and tail assembly were torn off from the impact. Both crew members were killed.
The Russian Ministry of Defense rejected the possibility that there was an external impact on the aircraft. At the same time, the theory that a bird flew into the engine has not been confirmed. The investigation will be conducted by a special interdepartmental commission, which will include representatives from the Irkut Corporation – manufacturer of the Su-30SM – along with the aviation security service and the headquarters of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the preliminary cause of the crash of the Su-30SM fighter in the Mediterranean Sea was that a bird flew into the plane’s engine.