Two pilots, a Ukrainian and an American, died when a Ukrainian SU-27UB fighter jet crashed during the NATO Clear Sky 2018 international military drills Ukraine, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Oct. 16.
The plane came down in a field in Vinnytsya Oblast, near the village of Ulaniv at 5 p.m. on Oct. 16.
During the combat training flight, the aircraft started to lose altitude and the pilots headed it away from residential districts to prevent civilian casualties, the General Staff said in a message published on Facebook on Oct. 16, referring to locals who witnessed the crash.
Ukrainian Air Force pilot and instructor Ivan Petrenko and the U.S. pilot, whom the authorities have identified only as a U.S. Air National Guard officer, were killed in the crash.
“The aircraft, which was involved in military drills, met all technical requirements,” General Staff said, adding that several months before the start of the international drills on Oct. 9 the fighter, which belonged to the 831th Tactical Aviation Brigade based in Mirhorod, Poltava Oblast, had undergone full repairs.
The Military Prosecutors Office of Central Region has already opened a criminal case on the “violation of flying rules,” reads a statement published on its website on Oct. 16.
The National Police of Vinnytsya Oblast have already started an investigation at the crash scene. Moreover, officers from the Ukrainian Air Force have started their own investigation into the cause of the crash.
Despite the crash, the General Staff decided to continue the multinational drills until Oct. 19.
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa confirmed that a U.S serviceman died in an accident, in a statement published on its website on Oct. 17. But it didn’t identify the U.S pilot.
“The incident is currently under investigation, and we will continue to provide more information as soon as it becomes available,” U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa said.
Clear Sky-2018 is a 12-day joint multinational military drill involving nine nations: Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Estonia and the United States.
The exercises are taking place in Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsya oblasts.
