Pilot hurt in Hungary's second fighter plane accident in 3 weeks

A Hungarian pilot, in a JAS-39C Gripen fighter plane on a routine training mission, was hospitalized after being forced to eject from his aircraft during an emergency landing on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at a military base in Kecskemet, about 85 km from the capital, according to a statement issued by Ministry of Defense of Hungary.

Hungarian News Agency MTI reported that pilot Sandor Kadar had just taken to the air on a training flight when he reported that he was unable to retract his nose landing gear. Kadar, an experienced pilot, landed the plane on its belly and only ejected after the aircraft veered out of control on the ground.

The pilot was taken to a nearby hospital where he was reported to be in stable condition.

This was the second Gripen accident in three weeks. On May 19, during a training mission in the Czech Republic, a Hungarian Air Force Gripen overshot the runway on landing, forcing the pilot and co-pilot to eject. Neither were hurt.

Lieutenant General Zoltan Orosz, deputy head of the Hungarian Defense Chief of Staff, told a news conference that following the incident all Hungarian Gripens would be grounded until the cause of the mechanical failure was determined. However, he noted that this incident and the May 19 one were unrelated.

Another investigation, including Czech, Hungarian, and Swedish experts is underway regarding the May 19 accident. The Gripen is Swedish-made. Endit