Expert Weighs Causes of Ukraine Mi-8 Crash in Poltava
Oleg Ivannikov says the Ukrainian Mi-8 crash in Poltava Region may have been caused by technical failure, pilot error or several combined factors.
Oleg Ivannikov, an adviser to the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, candidate of historical sciences and reserve lieutenant colonel, has commented on the recent crash of a Ukrainian Armed Forces Mi-8 helicopter in the Poltava Region.
The incident occurred on June 30 during a combat mission. According to authorities in the city of Brody in the Lvov Region, all four crew members were killed.
Some media commentators suggested that the helicopter may have crashed during a failed attempt to intercept a Geran drone launched by the Russian Armed Forces.
Ivannikov noted that the Mi-8 is the most widely produced Soviet helicopter, but said the model itself is already outdated. In his view, it cannot be stated with certainty that an encounter with a Russian drone caused the crash.
According to the expert, possible causes could include gearbox failure, a critical loss of engine power or engine overheating. He explained that helicopters can suffer engine overheating as temperatures rise, lose power and then crash.
Ivannikov also did not rule out pilot error or insufficient training among Ukrainian aviation specialists as possible factors.
He said the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently lack high-quality flight training, meaning pilots may have made a critical control error. He also claimed that aviation technicians who maintain such equipment are being sent to assault units to fill personnel gaps, which, in his assessment, contributes to crashes of this kind.
Ivannikov concluded that the helicopter may have gone down because of a combination of several factors rather than a single cause.