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After the crash of a Mig 29 from Malbork, all flights suspended in Poland

(B2) A Polish Mig 29 plane crashed last night (July 6) at 1:57 a.m. near Pasłęk (between Malbork and the Russian border of Kaliningrad). The pilot died

Mig 29 on the ground (B2 archives / Credit: MOD Poland)

A night flight

The MiG-29 aircraft, which belongs to the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, was flying at night. The pilot, experienced, managed to catapult himself. But he did not survive the accident. The wreckage of the plane was found about half a kilometer from buildings. At approximately 2:30 a.m., an ambulance doctor confirmed the death of the pilot.

An experienced pilot

The pilot was experimented said the ministry. He had flown over 800 hours, including over 600 hours on the MiG-29. He has also participated several times in national and international exercises.

Ongoing investigation

The Aeronautical Investigation Commission has already begun its work. The military police quickly secured the scene of the event. She conducts investigations under the supervision of the prosecutor of the Olsztyn South District Prosecutor's Office for Military Affairs.

All flights suspended until further notice

« Until the reasons for the crash of the MiG-29 are clarified, flights using this aircraft have been stopped National Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said at a press conference on Friday (July 6) at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Warsaw.

Comment: The Mig 29 aircraft is a relatively safe aircraft. But it remains very tricky to handle, requiring high precision from the pilots, carelessness, and that's a definite risk. But the Polish mechanics and pilots based in Malbork (I had met them very friendly and passionate about their profession and their aircraft) are regulars on these flights in difficult conditions (night, cold, etc.) (1).

They are also regularly called upon by NATO countries during exercises which then serve as 'sparring partner' for Western pilots (French, Belgian, British etc.) who can thus train against 'Mig'. And it's not sometimes the most modern plane that wins... That's to say the dexterity of the Polish pilots, formidable professionals, as an officer confided to me.

But these planes, which are no longer very young, also require regular maintenance. Several devices are also stripped, serving as a reserve of spare parts. And the aging Polish air fleet has experienced several fatal accidents in recent years (2).

(NGV)

(1) Read also:

(2) A MiG-29 fighter plane crashed on December 18, 2017 near Minsk Mazowiecki not far from Warsaw. A Casa C-295M jet plane crashed on January 23, 2008 near Miroslawiec Air Base, with several senior officers on board. Not to mention the crash of the presidential plane in Smolensk, a far more controversial and complex case (read: The Polish presidential plane crashes: President killed, General Staff decapitated).

 

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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