The black box of the plane that crashed in September near the air base "Graf Ignatievo", is already in the Czech Republic and the report on the data from it is to be submitted. This was announced by the Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov.
He recalled that the prosecutor's office and an expert committee are checking all the documents on the preparation, organization and management of the flights that day.
"The box will provide information about the actions of the machine and the pilots, but a complex analysis will also be done," the defense minister pointed out.
Atanas Zapryanov specified that when an objective assessment is made, it will be presented to the public.
The training and combat aircraft crashed on September 13 while preparing for a demonstration flight at the “Graf Ignatievo“ air base. The two pilots from the 12th aviation base in Dolna Mitropolia were killed – Petko Dimitrov and Ventsislav Dunkin. They were posthumously promoted to military rank.
Incidents with planes and helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force
For the period from 1952 to 1991, 134 accidents occurred in the Bulgarian Air Force (Air Force), in which the pilots died. During this period, only in 1973, 1984 and 1990 there were no accidents.
In the period 1946-2021, more than 70 accidents occurred with planes of the Bulgarian Air Force, in which more than 150 pilots died.
On January 28, 1992, during scheduled flights from Uzundzhovo airport, a MiG-21 training and combat aircraft, piloted by captain-engineer Doychin Boyadzhiev, crashed on the shore of the "Studen Kladenets" dam. near the village of Kaloyantsi, next to Kardjali. The pilot, captain-engineer Boyadzhiev, and the instructor, captain-engineer Emil Todorov, died.
On September 2, 1993, a Zlin-42-MU aircraft belonging to the regional aero club in Sliven under the Ministry of Defense crashed near the city. The two crew members - Anatoly Galabov and Valentin Kendalov - died.
On August 3, 1994, during a special flight - checking the operation of the engine and systems, a MiG-23 aircraft of the Air Force from the division in the village of Chesnigirovo, Plovdiv Region, in the area of the town of Rakovski, crashed. The plane was completely destroyed. There are no casualties.
On September 29, 1994, during a training flight with a MiG-29 - aerobatics at a low and extremely low altitude, the commander of the air base in Ravnets, Colonel Ivan Daev, died.
On December 20, 1994, a MiG-21 plane crashed into the sea near Balchik. The pilot, senior lieutenant Vladislav Valchev, died.
On January 16, 1996, a Mi-24 D attack helicopter from unit 46 540 in Stara Zagora burned up during a training flight over the training ground in Bodrovo. The two pilots - Major Valeri Krastev and Lieutenant Milen Hintolarski, were saved.
On January 28, 1997, during a training flight, a MiG-21 aircraft at the "Dobrich" air base. crashes near the industrial area. The pilot, Captain Plamen Donkov, ejected.
On July 16, 1998, a MiG-21 plane crashed during a regular training flight over the airbase near Dobrich. The pilot Radostin Dimitrov ejected.
On June 2, 1999, a MiG-21 military plane crashed in the territory of the village of Dragomir, Plovdiv region. Pilots Captain Georgi Rusev and Senior Lieutenant Sasho Nikolov died.
On August 31, 2001, near the village of Dobroslavtsi, Sofia Region, after an accident during the maintenance of a MiG-23 aircraft, one serviceman died.
On May 16, 2003, Major Anatoly Todorov Polyankov died in the Panagyurishte area during a training flight. Major Polyankov performed a low-altitude flight with a MiG-21 BIS aircraft that took off from Treta Air Base in Graf Ignatievo.
On July 24, 2003, near Razlog in the area of Betolovoto, while extinguishing a forest fire, a Mi-17 military helicopter from the "Krumovo" air base crashed. Major Milko Pejkovski, crew commander, captain Nikolay Radulov, co-pilot, officer candidate Boyko Panayotov, flight technician, as well as the employee of the "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" district office were killed. deputy Kiril Chamishki.
On July 8, 2008, after a training flight, a Spartan aircraft - C 27J was damaged. Due to strong wind at the airport in Varna, the machine tilted to the right during the run. As a result, the plane's propeller hits the runway. The crew is unharmed.
On November 29, 2010, a Pilatus RS-9M aircraft from the “Dolna Mitropolia“ makes an emergency landing in the airport area after the engine suddenly loses power. The pilots are unharmed.
On April 26, 2012 in the area of the village of Tsarimir during the Bulgarian-American exercise "Star of Thrace 2012" MiG-29 fighter jet falls - sparks. The two pilots, Major Iliya Doichinov and Captain Petar Metodiev, eject, and the machine explodes on the ground.
On July 29, 2015, during a training flight at the Graf Ignatievo airport, during the landing approach of an RS-12 aircraft from the “Hostile“ lands without landing gear. There were no injuries.
On June 9, 2017, during the tactical exercise "Black Sea-2017" helicopter AS Panther -565 MB falls into the waters of the Black Sea, 7 miles east of the mouth of the Kamchia River. Two of the crew members were injured, and the helicopter commander - Captain Georgi Anastasov died.
On January 19, 2018, during a training maneuver at Graf Ignatievo Airport, material damage was caused to the C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft. There were no injuries.
On June 11, 2018, around 8:30 p.m. in the area of the "Krumovo" airbase, during a training flight for emergency rescue work, a Mi-17 helicopter fell from a height of about 50 m. Capt. dies. Plamen Panteleev and Capt. Stoyan Nedelchev.
On August 21, 2018, during a medical evacuation training flight, a Cougar helicopter from the 24th air base in Krumovo made a sharp maneuver to avoid a flock of birds and hooked wires on a power line. The three-man crew of the helicopter is unharmed.
On June 9, 2021, a MiG-29 aircraft fell into the Black Sea near Shabla during tactical night exercises of the air defense formations of the Bulgarian Army and aviation formations of the Air Force - "Shabla 2021". The military pilot Major Valentin Terziev died.
On September 28, 2022, around 2:00 p.m., a Su-25 military aircraft had an accident near the “Bezmer“ air base. to Yambol. The pilot ejected, according to a report from the "Reference" Department. of BTA.