The crash of a Bulgarian Air Force plane was caught on video (2 photos + 2 videos)
15 September 2024
Both pilots of the training aircraft were killed. 
A Bulgarian Air Force L-39 training aircraft crashed yesterday afternoon at the Graf Ignatievo airbase. Initially, it was reported that the aircraft crashed as a result of a "complex maneuver at low altitude." However, judging by the video of the moment of the crash that appeared today, this information is not entirely correct.
The aircraft was indeed performing a complex aerobatic maneuver ("dead loop"), but was far enough from the ground to perform it. The pilots, apparently, were unable to bring the aircraft out of the spin. It is still unknown what caused it, pilot error or a technical malfunction. A special commission will look into this.
It is noted that the air incident occurred several hours after the country's President Rumen Radev made a demonstration flight on an F-16 fighter at the invitation of the US Air Force.
As for the crashed L-39 Air Force, the pilots were preparing for Saturday's air show, which was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the 35th anniversary of the MiG-29 fighter in the Bulgarian Air Force. However, after the plane crash and the death of the pilots, the celebration was canceled.
"The L-39 ZA combat training aircraft was preparing to participate in an air show on Saturday when the plane crashed. Both pilots, experienced instructor pilots, died in the crash. An investigation into all the circumstances of the incident is underway. In connection with the death of the pilots, a day of mourning has been declared in the Bulgarian Armed Forces on Saturday," the country's Minister of Defense of the Technical Government, Atanas Zapryanov, said at a briefing.
We recall that a similar incident occurred in Poland on July 12. The Bielik M-346 training aircraft of the country's Air Force was also preparing for Saturday's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Polish Naval Aviation Brigade. The pilot lost control and did not have time to eject. And as a result, the celebration also had to be cancelled.
On August 17, during an air show in the commune of Le Lavandou in southern France, a Fouga Magister training aircraft crashed. The plane belonged to a private flying club. The pilot died. The air show was also cancelled after the incident.
