Hungarian MiG-15 first post-restoration flight... and crash

[Leadfoot]

HA-UTI, the two-seater MiG-15 (more precisely, a Polish-built SB Lim-2A version) restored in Hungary took off on its first post-restoration flight earlier this afternoon.

The plane's overhaul began in February 2007 (following several months of preparation), and was performed by enthusiasts from the Goldtimer Foundation - a team that has already participated in restoration of a number of historic aircraft, including the world's only airworthy Lisunov Li-2 (HA-LIX).

In addition to technical challenges, some major bureaucratic difficulties had to be overcome, which at one point seemed to render the plane's registration in Hungary impossible.

After the similar Polish aircraft, HA-UTI is only the second airworthy MiG-15 in Europe. The test flight programme is to be completed by pilots Col. József "Pinkó" Pinkóczi (who flew the MiG-15 in the Hungarian Air Force until retirement of the type in 1975) and Tamás Rohács.

Engine test video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZcwENgm ... r_embedded

Taxiing test video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH6IoH4WzK4

Panorama shots of the cockpit:

http://album.reality.hu/2010/12/08/mig- ... i-cockpit/

Photos of today's take-off (courtesy of cszoli):

http://indafoto.hu/cszoli/image/1233774 ... ls/xl/user

http://indafoto.hu/cszoli/image/1233774 ... ls/xl/user

http://indafoto.hu/cszoli/image/1233774 ... ls/xl/user

Take-off video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T_3UTeg ... ded#at=216

[wamovements]

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=137485

Sadly something went terribly wrong on 18/7

Look at the position of the fueltank





for mor epictures look at:
http://www.rchelicopter.hu/PhotoAlbum.a ... f2486cc1bd

[Leadfoot]

Some very sad news indeed.

This was (should have been) the 4th take-off in the flight test programme. The plane tilted to the left, the wingtip hit the ground (that was the point when the fuel tanks were torn off), and the MiG crashed. The crew escaped unharmed. However, it is unlikely that the plane will ever fly again, since all landing gears and the wings suffered major structural damage.

An investigation has been launched into reasons of the crash. Nevertheless, according to first reports from leaders of the restoration crew, the plane was perfectly controllable, and the reason for the crash might have been a tailstrike on take-off (presumable pilot error). I have to highlight though that these are unofficial information.

The plane will be transported back to the Tököl airport, where its fate is to be decided.
The restoration crew was permitted to publish videos (including on-board, as far as I know) of the crash.

http://www.makettinfo.hu/forum/image.ph ... age_245940

Some close-ups at the end of this vid:

http://www.videohirek.hu/video/90625/me ... -repulogep

[Stefan]

Man... this is sad... after all the thousands of man hours spent on restoring the aircraft...

[Leadfoot]

Man... this is sad... after all the thousands of man hours spent on restoring the aircraft...

25000 hours... quite understandably everyone is very disappointed.

First video of the crash:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X9WH6_x8Ug