Engine incident grounds Poland's MiG-29 fleet

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16/05/11 By Bartosz Glowacki Flight International

Polish air force commander-in-chief Lt Gen Lech Majewski has ordered the temporary grounding of the service's RSK MiG-29 fighters, following the in-flight shutdown of a Klimov RD-33 engine.

The incident was reported on 5 May and involved an aircraft from the 41st Tactical Air Squadron at Malbork. The fighter's pilot was able to land safely and no aircraft damage was reported. The service's other MiG-29s are being inspected while an investigation takes place.

The grounding order prevented MiG-29s from participating in exercise "Eagle Talon" at Malbork from 10-12 May. It also stopped seven Polish pilots from flying during the Tactical Leadership Programme at Albacete air base in Spain. Four MiG-29s from the 1st Tactical Air Squadron at Minsk Mazowiecki had arrived at the site on 2 May, along with five Lockheed Martin F-16 Jastrzabs from the Lask-based 10th Tactical Air Squadron.