A small propeller-powered plane crashed during a training flight at an airfield in the Moscow region on Monday, resulting in the deaths of both pilots on board, Russian authorities reported.
The incident involved an Aviatik Alliance Aleks-251 twin-engine aircraft, which went down near the Vatulino airfield in the town of Ruza, approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Moscow.
In response to the crash, the transportation arm of Russia’s Investigative Committee, responsible for probing major crimes, announced the launch of a criminal investigation into potential flight safety violations.
Moscow’s transportation prosecutor’s office informed the state-run news agency TASS that a senior official had been dispatched to the crash site. This official’s task is to identify the causes and circumstances surrounding the plane crash.
The identities of the deceased pilots have not been released, and authorities have not provided further details about the nature of the training flight or the specific conditions at the time of the incident.
The Aviatik Alliance Aleks-251 is a light aircraft typically used for training and recreational purposes. The loss of life in this incident underscores the risks associated with aviation, even in controlled training environments.
