Nay Pyi Taw April 4
A team comprising technicians of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and the Tatmadaw (Air) visited Taungoo Airbase Headquarters and the place where the incident occurred to inspect the debris of the crashed plane and interview the local eye witnesses to know in detail the crash of the F-7 trainer piloted by Maj Arkar Win due to engine failure while on a training mission.
Pilot Maj Arkar Win started his training mission at 10.36 am on 3 April and sent message to the air control tower at 10.44 am to land. At 10.45 am while approaching the runway he sent another message to the tower that the engine of his plane stopped due to failure. At that time an experienced pilot on the other F-7 trainer following Maj Arkar Win’s plane asked him to conduct an Air Start and gave directions on the procedures.
Maj Arkar Win tried to restart the engine for 30 seconds, but there was no ignition. So when the plane reached an altitude of 300 metres at the speed of 320 kilometres per hour, he sent another message to the tower saying the he would use the ejector seat to bail out of the plane.
According to the accounts of eyewitnesses and some people from Kyungon Village, the plane was about 300 metres above Indine Village and its direction was towards Kyungon Village. At that time, there was enough time and the height was short enough for a pilot to be able to parachute safety. It was supposed that the pressure of the ejection seat could have forced the plane to crash into Kyungon Village. Without parachuting, Pilot Major Arkar Win tried to handle the plane and jumped out only after he reached at an altitude of about 30 metres ahead of Kyungon Village. No sooner did the plane crash into the land than he seemed to jump out of the plane. Consequently, he sustained severe injuries and died later on the way to hospital.
Therefore, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has commended Major Arkar Win for sacrificing his life so that his plane could not crash into Kyungon Village. He also gave instructions on continued necessary assistance.
