Needless to say, I can't imagine the Russian Knights will be putting on a demonstration this year (they were training for MAKS 2009, which is like a day or so away).Pilot dies as Russia jets collide
Two Russian fighter jets have collided while training for an air show near Moscow, killing one pilot and injuring at least five people on the ground.
Two pilots from the elite Russian Knights aerobatic team parachuted to safety, but a third, the group's commander, did not survive.
One woman suffered burns and at least four other people were injured as one jet struck houses near the airfield.
Initial reports say that pilot error caused the crash of the two Su-27 jets.
Air force spokesman Lt Col Vladimir Drik said the fighters collided near Zhukhovsky airfield, east of Moscow, where they were preparing for the Maks 2009 aerospace exhibition, due to start on Tuesday.
The dead pilot was named as Russian Knights' commander Igor Tkachenko, 45, a decorated air force colonel.
Russia's entire fleet of Su-27 jets was grounded earlier this year after two crashes in three days, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Given there were three pilots involved, it was likely an Su-27 and an Su-27UB.
The caption on the article is just idiotic - Su-27s have had 'safety problems' in the past? So has every other fighter jet in the history of the world, but it's pretty dumb to assume it might've been a technical error when the accident happened for extremely high risk, multi-jet aerobatics. Of course it was pilot error.
EDIT: officials say all aerobatic teams will still perform:-
EDIT II: Pictures. Looks like the Su-27UB hit the other plane in the engine, ruining it's nose and of course the other plane's engine - refer to picture of a second Su-27 following the wounded Su-27 with flaming enginePilot killed as two Su-27 fighters collide southeast of Moscow
17:17 16/08/2009
MOSCOW, August 16 (RIA Novosti) - One of three pilots test flying two Su-27 fighters ahead of MAKS-2009 air show was killed southeast of Moscow on Sunday, a Defense Ministry source said.
The pilot has been identified as Igor Tkachenko, commander of Russia's famous aerobatic team, Russkiye Vityazi.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to Tkachenko's family.
Russian Air Force commander, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin, has left for the scene.
Prosecutors from the Moscow Military District have already launched a probe into the crash.
The accident may have been caused by a flying skill error, according to a Defense Ministry source.
One of the two surviving pilots has been hospitalized with spinal fracture, the police said. No information is so far available on the condition of the third pilot.
A local police spokesman also said five civilians had been hospitalized with injuries following the crash.
The accident will not delay MAKS-2009 show slated for August 18, the organizer said on Sunday.
"MAKS will not be postponed. Although there may be changes to the program of flights, all aerobatic teams - three Russian and two foreign ones - will perform," said Vladimir Borisov, general director of the Aviasalon firm.
