At the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of PJSC Yakovlev, while preparing an aircraft for departure, the airflow from the engine overturned ground handling equipment. Seven employees were injured, according to the press service of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
Two injured individuals were hospitalized and are receiving medical care. Five others declined hospitalization. The plant has launched an internal investigation to establish all the circumstances of the incident and to take measures to comply with safety requirements.
The incident occurred in the ground handling area, the most vulnerable point of any aircraft production facility, where equipment and personnel work in close proximity to operating engines. Starting the power plant creates a jet stream capable of overturning unsecured or improperly positioned equipment. The results of the internal investigation will determine whether there was a violation of regulations or whether a design flaw in the placement of the overpass played a role.
The Irkutsk Aviation Plant is one of the key enterprises of the Russian aircraft industry. The plant produces Yak-152 training aircraft and is working on the serial production of the MC-21 passenger aircraft. In addition, the company assembles Su-30SM2 multi-role fighters under the state defense order. In 2026, UAC plans to produce four serial MC-21-310s. Test flights take place at the Irkutsk-2 airfield, which is adjacent to the plant's territory. The company employs about 12,500 people.
