Details Emerge in Crash of Jet Fighter

The crash of a Soviet-built MiG-29 jet fighter yesterday afternoon near Kecskemét appears to have been the result of a massive technical failure that saw both of the aircraft's engines catch on fire. The plane was being piloted by world champion airman Capt. Zoltán Szabó - a.k.a Topi - who was training for the August 20 air show - when it crashed at 4:38 p.m. near the farm of one Pál Nagy, who was feeding his animals when the supersonic fighter slammed into the ground.

"Suddenly, I heard a huge bang. I have been living close to the airport for years, so I had a pretty good idea what that meant. Only an exploding MiG-29 could make such a dreadful noise," Nagy said. "I ran out of the barn and looked in the direction of the airport. I saw the clouds of smoke, and soon after I spotted the pilot as well, slowly descending with his parachute. I felt relieved that he was able to catapult from his seat and survived a near-death situation," the farmer added.

According to news reports, Szabó was flying at an altitude of roughly 200 meters when he noticed the engine fire. An experienced pilot, he did not lose control of the fighter; instead, he flew the aircraft to an unpopulated area and ejected. "Twenty minutes later he called me," radio talk show host Gábor Bochkor, the captain's close friend, told Blikk.

"MiG-29's are considered the best in the world. No other fighter plane can maneuver so well, and moreover, they are the safest in their category," said Bochkor, who recently few with Topi, adding that he hoped Topi was not injured from the massive G-forces he experienced when being ejected from the plane. Topi is currently in the hospital under observation. The MiG 29, however, is not expected to recover, and is survived by 28 remaining Soviet-era fighters of the same family.