MOSCOW, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- One pilot died and another was injured Sunday in a collision of two SU-27 Russian fighter jets near Moscow, authorities said.
The jets, part of the "Russian Knights" aerobatics team, were rehearsing for MAKS 2009, Russia's largest aviation show, TV Novosti reported.
The body of squadron leader Igor Tkachenko was found with his parachute and ejection seat near the village of Zakharikha, while a second pilot reportedly suffered a spinal fracture, ITAR TASS reported. A third pilot ejected safely, authorities said. The SU-27 can seat two.
There were conflicting reports about damage and injuries on the ground, with witnesses said as many as five people were injured by crash debris, which set fire to several cottages.
"There was an orange flash during the collision, then black smoke. When the smoke cleared, we saw one of the planes spinning down outside the field," one witness said. "We all held our breaths because we couldn't quite tell what was happening to the pilots, if they were alive or not. We couldn't see any parachutes."
