Former test pilot involved in fatal crash at Räyskälä Airport in Finland

A former test pilot for the Finnish Air Force, Jyrki Laukkanen, flew the aircraft involved in a fatal crash at Räyskälä Airport on Wednesday. The small plane went down shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of two German men.

The aircraft type, an SNJ-3 Texan, was widely used as a trainer for Allied fighter pilots during World War II. Laukkanen described the SNJ-3 as a typical tail-wheel aircraft equipped with a powerful engine, stating that while it’s easy to fly in the air, it requires skill during takeoff and landing due to its tendency to veer sideways.

The tail-wheel design, where the third landing gear wheel is located at the back, causes the nose of the plane to sit high when on the ground, resulting in its potential to tilt during takeoffs and landings. However, once airborne, this issue is alleviated, according to Laukkanen.

Laukkanen was familiar with the crashed aircraft, having assisted in its assembly when it arrived in Finland from the United States in 2020. The SNJ-3 Texan is known for being challenging to fly, requiring specific training today, unlike during its heyday in the 1940s. Laukkanen’s first encounter with the aircraft was in 1988 in Ohio, where he had to demonstrate his skills in tail-wheel aircraft before being allowed to fly a prestigious American Mustang fighter.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), only two SNJ-3 Texans have been present in Finland in recent years.