Helicopter Crash in Bashkiria Injures Two. Gazeta.Ru

Helicopter Crash in Bashkiria Injures Two

Two Ka-32 pilots were seriously injured in a helicopter crash on Tuesday afternoon, 12 km to the northwest of Kumertau (Bashkiria), the press-service of Emergency Ministry’s local department reported. The helicopter belonged to the local air force squad. The pilots were on aa training flight. The crash took place 500 meters away from the village of Konarevka. The crew of 2 (test pilot Kitzun and navigator Sungurov) was discovered by the rescuers several minutes later on the place of accident. The pilots were sent to the nearest hospital. The medics say their lives are no longer in danger, though they are still in grave condition.The helicopter was written off. An airforce spokesman said the both pilots reacted excellently, managing to steer the failing helicopter away from the populated area and land it soundly so that the fuel tanks did not explode. A special commission headed by the deputy chief engineer of Kumertau aircraft enterprise Vladimir Kechaev has launced an investigation into the crash. The crash is the first major accident to occur at the Kumertau enterprise in 10 years. //Interfax
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