Eyewitnesses refute government's statement that lack of training caused crash

This past weekend ANN published a story about the Peruvian Air Force's SU-22UM "Fitter G" two-seat training aircraft (file photos below) which crashed last Friday, December 17, in the vicinity of the city of Lurin, during a practice for an air show that took place on Monday, December 20.

Since then, ANN has received information that raises serious questions about the accuracy the government's statements following the accident, and specifically those of 2nd Vice President David Waisman, who told the media that lack of training was one of the causes of the accident. While there certainly may be an issue with funding and training of flight crews in Peru's Air Force, it does not appear that this was the cause of this accident.

According to eyewitnesses and residents of the area where the aircraft went down, the flight of three SU-22's was practicing for an air show in honor of the graduation of the Peruvian Air Force flight school. The aircraft that crashed was the lead aircraft of a formation of three SU-22's, and one of more than thirty aircraft in the air at the time.

The aircraft that were to participate in the show had been repositioned from bases around the country. Many of them had been practicing their routines during the week, except on Thursday, December 16, due to bad weather. Only a flight of FAP Cessna A-37's was able to fly that day, and even then for just a few minutes.

The weather finally broke on Friday around 1430, and aircraft began taking off to practice their flybys. The flight of three SU-22's was the last one to take to the air. At the time of the accident, some 30 aircraft were practicing in the airspace around Lima, the capital of Peru. Among them were four helicopters, a C-130 Hercules, Antonov AN-32s, Zlin and Tucano trainers, Mirage 2000's, MIG-29's, the three SU-22's. Even the presidential Boeing 737 was in the sky, along with other aircraft. The SU-22's were circling over Lurin while waiting for their turn to strut their stuff in the flyby sequence.

At that point the events that took place appear to diverge from the implications of what Vice President David Waisman told the media. According to reports from eyewitnesses, the lead SU-22UM in the formation developed engine problems and began to lose altitude. One of the eyewitnesses told El Siglo of Lima that he saw "three aircraft flying over my house, one of them was trailing smoke, the other two continued and that one went down, and is still burning."

In actions that would be incompatible with a lack of training or practice, the crew of the SU-22 took positive steps to fly the aircraft away from the populated areas under them prior to attempting to eject. Proof of this could be the fact that the rear canopy had already been blown and was found further back along the flight path from the main debris field.

What these facts imply is that the pilots succeeded in preventing the loss of life on the ground by getting their aircraft pointed in the direction of an undeveloped section of the town, and then tried to eject, but were unable to do so in time. If that is the case -- and so far everything we have heard seems to point in that direction -- then the crew were not inexperienced pilots. They were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in an act of selfless and very skilled piloting.

Eyewitnesses also reported that the residents of the area quickly reached the crash site and attempted to help the crew. One of the pilots was still alive when they reached the site, and it appeared that he had almost ejected but didn't make it out of the airframe. They tried to aid him, but he was trapped and, tragically, they were unable to save his life. The other pilot's was already dead.

Immediately after the accident, all aircraft were ordered to return to base. The SU-22's were the last to take off, and the remaining two were the last to land. The FAP has quickly agreed to pay indemnization to the families of the two pilots, as well as assist in the rebuilding of the homes destroyed by the aircraft's debris. The accident remains under investigation.

The graduation ceremony for the cadets of the Officer School took place as scheduled on Monday, but because of the accident, the aerial exhibition was reduced to a single flyby by three A-37s. In his speech to the newly commissioned officers, President Alejandro Toledo referred to the crash, telling them that taking constant risks and making sacrifices is an integral part of a Peruvian Air Force pilot's life. That, he said, was what happened to Commander San Martin -- a personal acquaintance of his -- and Captain Perez, whom he described as "martyrs." He urged the new lieutenants to follow their example.

President Toledo also mentioned the recent contract agreement between Peru and Russia for the refurbishing and updating of Air Force assets, beginning with the transport and helicopter fleet. He stressed that having equipment in good working order is vital to the task of providing timely assistance to victims of natural disasters within the country.

FMI: www.fap.mil.pe