Bulgarian L-39 Crashes During Air Show Rehearsal at Graf Ignatievo Air Base

Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria – Tragedy struck the Bulgarian Air Force as an Aero Vodochody L-39ZA Albatros jet trainer crashed during a display training session at Graf Ignatievo Air Base. The incident, which occurred at approximately 12:30 PM, resulted in the loss of both pilots and the complete destruction of the aircraft.

The pilots, Major Petko Dimitrov and First Lieutenant Ventsislav Dunkin, were confirmed deceased by Bulgarian Air Force Commander Major General Dimitar Petrov. “These were the instructors who train pilots, these were our best pilots,” said Bulgaria’s Minister of Defence, Atanas Zapryanov, expressing deep sorrow over the loss. The aircraft and crew were from Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base and were engaged in routine training that had been meticulously prepared for months.

Bulgarian Air Force L-39ZA Albatros
Photo credit: Chris Lofting

In light of the incident, Minister Zapryanov has cancelled the air show scheduled for Saturday at Graf Ignatievo Air Base. The event was intended to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria’s admission to NATO and the 35th anniversary of the MiG-29 entering service with the Bulgarian Air Force.

The Aero L-39 Albatros, designed in the 1960s and introduced in the 1970s by Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody, is a high-performance jet trainer. The aircraft was widely adopted by Warsaw Pact countries, including Bulgaria, which began using the L-39 in 1986. Although Bulgaria originally had 36 of these two-seater aircraft, most have been decommissioned, with only four to six reportedly still in service.

This tragic event follows a recent high-profile visit to the airbase by Bulgarian President Roumen Radev, a former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force. President Radev participated in a demonstration flight on an F-16 fighter jet at the invitation of the US Air Force. The planned flying day was intended to celebrate Bulgaria’s two decades in NATO and the MiG-29’s 35 years of service.

Graf Ignatievo Air Base is currently undergoing preparations to host the US-manufactured Lockheed Martin F-16s, which Bulgaria is acquiring to meet NATO standards, eventually phasing out the ageing MiG-29s.

A team of military prosecutors and investigators, along with the Military Police Service, has launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the causes and circumstances of the crash. The Bulgarian Air Force and the nation mourn the loss of two of their finest aviators in this tragic accident.