Russian aerobatic SU-27 jets collide, one dead

<br><FONT color=#3366ff>Investigators inspect the site of a crash near the village Belozerikha outside Moscow August 16, 2009. A pilot was killed and at least one civilian was injured when two Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets from an elite Russian aerobatic group crashed while training outside Moscow, local media reported. The jets plunged into a compound of vacation homes after colliding in the air near the town of Zhukovsky during a training flight for the Russian Knights aerobatic team ahead of the MAKS aerospace fair, which starts on Tuesday. REUTERS/Artyom Korotayev</FONT></bR>

Sunday, 16 Aug 2009 12:33:34 UTC
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A pilot was killed and at least one civilian was injured when two jet fighters from an elite Russian aerobatic group crashed while training outside Moscow, local media reported.

The two Su-27 jets plunged into a compound of vacation homes after colliding in the air near the town of Zhukovsky during a training flight for the Russian Knights aerobatic team ahead of the MAKS aerospace fair, which starts on Tuesday.

Russia is seeking to turn MAKS, which starts next week at Zhukovsky and attracts tens of thousands of spectators, into a leading international aviation and space show and a venue for major deals to be done.

An aide to Russia's air force commander initially said the pilots had ejected safely, but later told Interfax news agency that one had died.

Media said the planes had set three houses on fire in the village of Belozerikha.

<br><FONT color=#3366ff>File photo of Sukhoi Su-27 jet fighters from the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team performing during the MAKS-2007 international air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on August 22, 2007. Two Su-27 jets plunged into a compound of vacation homes after colliding near the town of Zhukovsky during a training flight ahead of the MAKS aerospace fair, which starts on August 18, 2009. REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov</FONT></bR>

<br><FONT color=#3366FF>A Russian emergencies ministry worker examines wreckage at the crash site of two Russian Su-27 fighter jets outside Moscow on August 16, 2009. One pilot died and four people were seriously injured after two fighter jets collided during aerobatics practice near Moscow ahead of the annual air show, Russian news agencies reported. AFP PHOTO/DMITRY KOSTYUKOV </FONT></bR>

Interfax quoted a local police source as saying one woman sustained burns and was rushed to hospital. RIA news agency said five residents were injured.

Officials were not available for confirmation.

Separately, a civilian trainee pilot and an instructor died when their small Yak-52 turboprop trainer crashed in the Kaluga region of central Russia, local agencies reported.

(Writing by Oleg Shchedrov; Editing by Kevin Liffey)