Why an Australian landed an American registered plane with a big Russian Red Star in the middle of Ukraine

[David Newton]

Rather amusing story that I saw on Facebook:

So I don't think I posted it here, but maybe it deserves to be here. Few weeks ago I was contracted to extract a SU-31 from Ukraine. Kind of kept it quiet due to current situation.

Owner is Ukranian mil pilot so not able to fly the aircraft out himself as he can't exit the country. Few other pilots accepted then changed their minds short notice. Aircraft had to fly because of current export rules on aircraft parts.

Anyway I went there and picked up the airplane from a military base where the machine had been brought & prepared for me. (No photos out of respect). From there I checked aircraft and flew to Lviv no problems for passport control. I was the only one there; they opened customs just for me.
Departed out, no XPDR by instruction but strict observation by mil radar. Target was Slovakia for exit. Flew about 25 min. Engine started coughing and misfiring real bad. Declared Pan pan and turned back.

Tried different tanks, individual magnetos, manual pump etc all failed.

Situation got progressively worse real fast. Declared Mayday and engine failed. Picked a field near a village so someone would see me and I put it down there deadstick.

First person there was the local farmer. He offered me a beer and a cigarette but I figured maybe I should wait until after any breath test ….

Was a while from city so took some time for them all to arrive and then it was quite a bit of commotion. Police, ambulance, firetruck, military all there. Really should have made the effort to take a group photo - but I was a bit busy explaining to police why an Australian had landed an American registered airplane with a big Russian Red Star on it in the middle of Ukraine during war time; and my passport stamp showing I had left the country.

Took like two hours but I could provide all paperwork, insurance and permits etc. So then I let the police take some pictures in the airplane and they were happy and everyone just left ….

I was just kind of left standing there in the middle of Ukraine in a field with an airplane ….

Farmer gave me some drinks and we waited for my local contact to arrive - went back to Lviv so they could legally stamp me back into the country.

Anyway, so that's how I ended up in the local news and having a nice few days off enjoying and exploring Lviv. (Beautiful city, by the way).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3398135 ... 439746518/

[Pdf27]

Su-31 photo for reference in case anybody is thinking this is an obvious military aircraft.

[Pdf27]

Photos have emerged of the actual landing - good field selection there, I've carried people out of far worse!