Pilot Reportedly Ejected Safely From Airplane Thought To Be Prototype Jian 10-B Fighter

An airplane thought to be a prototype Jian 10-B fighter jet impacted a residential compound in Pi county in China Sunday, resulting in the reported fatal injury of seven people on the ground.

China's Zinhua.net news agency reported that witnesses said the pilot ejected from the airplane before it went down at the newly-constructed neighborhood. It eventually came to rest in a man-made lake on the property.

The China News Service reported that an additional seven people were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of burns suffered in the accident.

Military analysts said that it is likely that the jet went down shortly after takeoff. The accident scene is about 6 miles northwest of the Chengdu business district, which is near an air force base.

Janes reported in October that a recently-delivered group of J-10B fighters had been delivered and were undergoing taxi and flight tests. The airplane is reported to be an improved variant of the J-10 built by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, which is an AVIC subsidiary.

(Image provided by China Defense Mashup)

FMI: http://eng.mod.gov.cn/