In Dien Ban town, located in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Nam, a military training aircraft experienced a crash at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday, as per local media reports. Prior to the crash, both pilots on board successfully parachuted out of the aircraft.
The incident occurred on an empty plot of land near a garden, resulting in minor injuries to a local individual who was working in the vicinity and was struck by debris from the crash. Notably, the front and rear sections of the plane were observed about 200 meters apart from each other at the crash site.
According to VnExpress, the military plane in question is under the management of the Air Defense – Air Force’s Division 372. A representative from the division informed Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the aircraft took off from the central city of Da Nang and encountered the accident during a routine training session.
As detailed by Bao Nguoi Lao Dong, in the afternoon of January 9th, Mr. Phan Minh Dung, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dien Ban, affirmed the occurrence of a military aircraft crash in the vicinity.
Preliminary reports indicate that on the same afternoon, within Dien Nam Bac ward, Dien Ban town, local residents were startled by a loud explosion. Subsequent investigations revealed a military aircraft had crashed, breaking into two parts. The pilot, having safely ejected before the crash, ensured there were no casualties.
The crash site saw some houses affected, with damage to roofs. Fortunately, the house where the aircraft landed was unoccupied at the time, sparing any injuries. Additionally, the fallen aircraft caused damage to local residents’ fireworks.
Upon receiving the information, military authorities, the Dien Ban town police, and relevant provincial agencies swiftly arrived at the scene to probe the incident. Hundreds of curious onlookers gathered to witness the developments.
According to a brief report from the Military Command of Quang Nam province, the downed aircraft is identified as a Su-22 with the serial number 5880.
The aircraft encountered difficulties and crashed during a training mission. The pilot successfully deployed the parachute before the aircraft made contact with the ground, ensuring their safety.
The fallen aircraft belongs to the Air Defense – Air Force Division 372 based in Da Nang. The Su-22, an export designation for the Sukhoi Su-17 series developed during the Soviet era, has been in active service since the late 1980s to 1990s.