The Russian air force has grounded its fleet of Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets until determining what caused one of the planes to crash on Thursday, killing the pilot, the government-run Tass news agency said.
The warplane, part of the Russian Knights aerobatic team, crashed near Moscow after the team took part in the opening ceremony for a monument to aviators in Ashukino, Tass said.
The Defense Ministry said technical problems probably caused the crash, Tass said.
The ministry said the pilot steered the plane away from a community and did not have time to eject before the crash, Tass said.
The flight data recorder has been recovered and is in good condition, Tass said.
Russia is thought to have about 200 of the aircraft, according to Jane’s Information Group.
This kind of jet conducted a “barrel roll” last April over the top of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 which was flying a reconnaissance mission in international airspace above the Baltic Sea, the Defense Department said.
The plane approached alongside within 25 feet of the U.S. aircraft and then flew inverted over the top of the plane to the other side, Lt. Col. Michelle L. Baldanza, a U.S. Army spokesperson, said in a statement.
