'Mechanical failure' behind crash of China-made FT-7 BGI aircraft
The training fighter jet that crashed into the Milestone School and College building in Dhaka’s Uttara was manufactured in China.
According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday following the crash, the model of the aircraft was FT-7 BGI. It took off at 1:06pm from Bangladesh Air Force Base AK Khandaker in Dhaka’s Kurmitola and soon experienced mechanical failure.
The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people and injuries to over 160 others. Most of the victims were children and students of Milestone School.
Two retired Bangladesh Air Force officers with experience in flying combat aircraft told Prothom Alo that the crashed jet is typically used for training pilots before they are cleared to fly mainline fighter jets.
According to the US-based military equipment website GlobalSecurity.com, the FT-7 BGI is manufactured by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. It is a low-cost, single-engine, two-seater training fighter jet. It is used to train pilots for the main variant, the F-7.
It is not officially known when Bangladesh acquired these jets. However, a retired Air Force officer, speaking anonymously to Prothom Alo, said Bangladesh purchased the FT-7 BGI variant from China in 2013.
GlobalSecurity.com provides detailed information about this aircraft. The website states that China developed the F-7 fighter jet using the technology of the Soviet-era MiG-21. Structural testing of the F-7 was successfully completed in November 1965. Chinese pilots successfully conducted its test flight in January 1966. In June 1967, the jet got China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) approval for use.
Based on the diverse operational needs of the PLA, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation developed several domestic and international variants of the F-7, including the F-7E, F-7P, F-7M, and F-7 BGI. According to GlobalSecurity.com, Pakistan currently has the largest fleet of F-7 fighter jets, with 120 in service.
The New York-based aerospace defense website Airforce Technology states that Iran, Iraq, Albania, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Egypt also operate this aircraft. Official production of this aircraft ceased in 2013.
Bangladesh has experienced multiple training aircraft crashes in the past. In November 2018, a training aircraft crashed in Tangail, killing Wing Commander Arif Ahmed. On 27 December, 2017, two training jets of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed during a training session in Cox’s Bazar. Though both aircraft—Russian-made Yak-130s—were destroyed, all four pilots ejected safely.
Earlier, on 1 April, 2015, a training aircraft crashed at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi, killing a pilot named Tamanna Rahman.
Retired Air Force officer Captain Salauddin M Rahmatullah, who has flown the MiG-21, told Prothom Alo that the effective operational life of a fighter jet is typically 10 to 12 years.
However, even if an aircraft remains unused for a long period, it can still develop faults. He added that the exact cause in this case is still unclear and believes the relevant authorities will be able to determine it after an investigation.