Russian pilots have successfully landed a MiG-31 fighter jet after one of its wheels disintegrated. The plane’s dramatic touchdown was caught on video and shows the fiery line of sparks it left on the runway.
The emergency situation occurred during a training flight in Russia’s Perm Region near the Ural Mountains on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said.
A flight control officer swiftly informed the commander of the plane that there was a problem with one of the back wheels. “The crew carried out the landing in a routine manner,” it added.
Аварийная посадка МиГ-31 в Перми с подломанной стойкой шасси. Пресс-служба Западного военного округа, сообщила, что профессиональные действия экипажа позволили спасти машину и избежать жертв. pic.twitter.com/RXD5NeZutD
— Олег. Великий князь 🇷🇺 Актер, режиссер, художник (@Oleg_Ilchenko) August 11, 2020
There were no injuries among the pilots or people on the ground. The plane also managed to avoid any damage, and the technical staff began working to replace the broken wheel.
MiG-31 is a sturdy workhorse of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, known for its reliability. The supersonic interceptor aircraft has been around since 1981 and still remains one of the fastest jets in the world. A few years ago, MiG-31 was chosen as the carrier for Russia’s state-of-the-art hypersonic missile, Kinzhal (dagger).
