On December 12, 1995, disaster struck as three team jets flew in-formation into a mountainside near Cam Ranh, Vietnam during approach while en route to home from a Malaysian airshow during adverse weather conditions.

[citation needed] Formed in 1991 with 6 Su-27 fighters, now they have 16 Sukhoi Fighters totally - 8 Su-30SM (Flanker-H) and 8 Su-35 (Flanker-E) On 12 December 1995, when approaching the Cam Ranh airfield (Vietnam) in adverse weather for refueling, two Su-27s and an Su-27UB of the Russian Knights team flew into a nearby mountain while in-formation, killing four pilots.

The cause of the crash is attributed to a misinterpretation of approach-pattern instructions, and in particular the leading Il-76 that was acting as a reconnaissance aircraft.

[3][4] On 16 August 2009, two Su-27s rehearsing acrobatic maneuvers collided near Moscow, killing one pilot and sending the jets crashing into nearby vacation homes.

The dead pilot was the Russian Knights' commander, Guards Colonel Igor Tkachenko, a decorated air force officer.