PLOVDIV (Bulgaria), January 20, 2018, Editorial team (Bm), Photo: US Army

Yesterday, 19th January, the military transport aircraft of the Bulgarian Air Force C-27J Spartan went through an accident during a flight training at Graf Ignatievo Airport near Plovdiv.

The accident took place at the runway during taxiing around 1:30 pm, where the strong wind inclined the aircraft to one side and the end of the right semi-wing and the propeller of the right engine hit the ground. There are serious damages on the aircraft. There are not injured pilots and civilians.

The reasons for the accident, according to experts, are particularities of the structure of C-27J – a comparatively high-situated wing, basic stand of the landing gear of comparatively narrow track, and a large vertical stabilizer. In general, it had been known that in case of a strong side wing the aircraft may incline so much as to hit the runway by the semi-wing. Similar inclination may also occur in case of sudden turns on the ground at high speed.

Sources of the specialized magazine AERO stated that it is being planned at the moment parts of the damaged Spartan to be used for one of the other two machines at disposal to the Air Forces and flights to be continued till it is possible with the hope the maintenance agreement to be signed as soon as possible.

Read more: Extra money for technical support or C-27J Spartan stays on the ground

It shall be reminded that in the end of 2017 the Ministry of Defence announced that 17 million dollars were needed for repair and maintenance of the Spartans by the Italian company Leonardo. Back then, Bm wrote that the money was requested by Karakachanov in June, but, till now, the Ministry of Finance have not given an answer.