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Fatal Helicopter Crash Grounds Russian Helicopters

The Russian Defence Ministry has grounded its fleet of Mi-28 attack helicopters after a fatal accident at an air show on Sunday. One pilot died … Continue reading Fatal Helicopter Crash Grounds Russian Helicopters


Mi-28The Russian Defence Ministry has grounded its fleet of Mi-28 attack helicopters after a fatal accident at an air show on Sunday.

One pilot died and another jumped clear as the Mi-28 gunship was performing alongside other helicopters at the International Army Games show at the Dubrovichi firing range in Ryazan, around 170 km (105 miles) south-east of Moscow, when it crashed.

The Russian military had blamed the crash on a hydraulics failure.

There had been six other Russian air force crashes in recent weeks.

The two-seat gunship was performing stunts and firing flares with three other helicopters. It then began to spin rapidly, before falling to the ground and bursting into flames.

Its pilot, Lt Colonel, Igor Butenko was killed.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the condition of the other pilot is “satisfactory”.

There were no injuries to spectators at the air show.

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the crash, although, the surviving pilot had said that a hydraulic failure was the cause.

The country’s fleet of Mi-28s would remain grounded until the investigation is completed.

The Mi-28 is an attack helicopter widely used in Russia, as well as countries such as Iraq and Kenya.

At least five people had been killed in recent military aviation crashes.

In the past few years, the air force had received hundreds of new helicopter and planes as part of a programme to modernise and re-equip Russia’s military.