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	PLA fighter crashes, two pilots dead A People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Su-27 fighter crashed in Rongcheng, Shandong Province on March 31, killing two pilots. Initial photos showing the crashed aircraft began appearing on microblogs on the afternoon of March 31. China Central Television later reported the pilots' deaths in a Weibo account.

	Time: 1:35 pm, March 31 Location: Rongcheng, Shandong Province Incident: A Su-27 fighter crashed during a training mission. Casualties: Two pilots died. No collateral damage was reported, according to air force authorities. Aircraft: Su-27 UBKs are used to train fighter pilots.

Possible Causes

●Witness testimony:
“The pilots may have not ejected in order to avoid crashing into a bridge or houses.”

●Russian expert:
“The Russian Air Force has the largest number of active Su-fighter jets, and Russia exports more Su jets than any other fighter it produces. Su-fighter jet crash rates have been very high,” the Global Times (Chinese edition) cited an unnamed Russian expert as saying.

●People’s Daily Online:
Experts say the crash was not caused by mechanical wear, as the jet was still commissioned and had been in service for less than twenty years. Generally speaking, jets will crash because of weather conditions, mechanical malfunction, incurred damage or pilot error.

About the Su-27

	Length: 21.49 m Height: 5.93 m Wingspan: 14.70 m Combat weight: 20,300 kg Maximum takeoff weight: 33,000 kg Maximum level speed at high altitude: 2.35 mA Maximum level speed at sea level: 1.1 mA Service ceiling: 18,000 m Combat radius: 1,500 km

●Su-27 is an all-weather, heavy fighter designed by Sukhoi, a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, which was founded in 1939 as the Sukhoi Design Bureau.

●The Su-27 was designed in 1969 and had its maiden flight on May 20, 1977.

●China has acquired a total of 40 Su-27UBKs from Russia since 1992.

●China began producing the Su-27 series in 1996 and has developed at least four versions fully using domestically made parts and sub-systems.

●The introduction of the Su-27 series fighter gave the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) for the first time an admirable capability both in beyond-visual-range air combat and dogfights, Daniel Tong, founder of the Chinese Military Aviation website, told the Global Times.

●The J-11BS double-seat fighter, which is already being delivered to the PLA, will eventually replace the Su-27UBK, said Tong.

Source: Agencies

Previous Accidents

	Time: December 4, 2012 Location: Shantou, Guangdong Province Aircraft type: J-7 Casualties: Four people injured. The pilot ejected and landed safely. Possible cause: A mechanical malfunction during its ascent caused the accident.
	Time: October 14, 2011 Location: Pucheng, Shaanxi Province Aircraft type: JH-7/ FBC-1 Casualties: One pilot survived and the other pilot, Yu Jinwang, died. Possible cause: Aircraft control system malfunction
	Time: May 6, 2010 Location: Jinan, Shandong Province Aircraft type: JJ-7 Casualties: One pilot, Zhang Deshan, was  injured and the other pilot, Feng Siguang, died. Possible cause: The engine failed in a low-altitude nighttime training mission.
	Time: July 19, 2009 Location: Taonan, Jilin Province Aircraft type: FBC-1 Casualties: Two pilots died. Possible cause: Unknown
	Time: June 25， 2008 Location: Qingshuihe County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Aircraft type: J-8 Casualties: Both pilots parachuted to safety. They sustained minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital. Possible cause: Two fighter aircraft collided during a drill.
	Time: November 14, 2006 Location: Lanzhou, Gansu Province Aircraft type: J-7G Casualties: Pilot Li Jianying died. Possible cause: The aircraft was struck by birds while landing.
	Time: June 30, 2004 Location: Wuhan, Hubei Province Aircraft type: J-7 Casualties: The pilot(s) parachuted to safety. A child died in a  fire caused by the crash and another child was slightly injured. Possible cause: The aircraft malfunctioned due to the thunderstorm and crashed.

Source: Agencies