A fighter-bomber of the Vietnam People’s Air Force encountered an error during an exercise and crashed into the fencing of a military airport in the northern province of Yen Bai on Tuesday.

The pilot was safe as he managed to eject before the crash that happened at an airbase in Tran Yen District at around 2:30 pm, a local official confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper later the same day.

A soldier on the ground was slightly injured and has been treated at the Yen Bai General Hospital, the official said, adding that the aircraft had its front damaged.

The People’s Air Force has confirmed that the incident involved a Su-22 fighter-bomber, steered by Lieutenant Colonel Phan Thanh Hai of the Air Force Regiment 921.

When the plane was about to land, Lt. Col. Hai was unable to deploy the land gear and requested that he make an emergency landing.

As the aircraft was finally on the runway, the pilot released the parachute to slow down the momentum.

The parachute ropes, however, snapped due to the high speed, and thus the plane went beyond the runway and crashed into the concrete fencing of the airbase.

The Ministry of National Defense and the People’s Air Force are investigating the case to determine the cause of the error.

On July 26, 2018, another Su-22 fighter-bomber of Air Force Regiment 921 also crashed in the north-central province of Nghe An during an exercise, killing two pilots.

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