2002 Air Show Accident Near Lviv, Ukraine.

In memory of the victims of this disaster. Keep your comments respectful.

Sknyliv airshow disaster occurred on 27 July 2002. 84 people were killed and over 100 injured at an airshow in Sknyliv airport near Lviv, Ukraine. A Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft crashed during an aerobatics presentation. It is the world's worst airshow disaster to date

The aircraft, flown by two experienced pilots, entered a rolling maneuver with a downward trajectory at low altitude; having rolled upright once more the aircraft was still descending rapidly and the left wing dropped shortly before the aircraft hit the ground, at which point the crew initiated ejection. The aircraft flattened out initially, skidding over the ground towards stationary aircraft, striking a glancing blow against the nose of an Il-76 transport aircraft before beginning to explode and cartwheel into the crowd of spectators. Both pilots survived with minor injuries from the ejection and landed just feet away from the transport aircraft.

Initial reports of the cause of the crash varied, including impact with birds and engine failure. In one of the many views of the crash recorded, the Flanker's engines can be heard suddenly going silent immediately before the sudden dive towards the ground, but are audible again just before the impact with the tarmac. Other views have the engines running throughout the accident. Pilot Volodymyr Toponar insists the crash was due to mechanical failure.

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine_airshow_disaster

Song: Evanescence. My Immortal.