Li Jianying | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 1964 |
| Died | November 4, 2006(2006-11-04) (aged 42) China |
| Allegiance | China |
| Branch | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Years of service | 1982-2006 |
| Rank | Air Force Colonel |
| Awards | Gold Medal for Pilots |
Li Jianying (Chinese:李剑英;pinyin:Lǐ Jiànyīng; May 1964 – November 4, 2006) was aPeople's Liberation Army Air Forcepilot.[1][2] Li chose to sacrifice himself in acrash landing rather than bail out and leave his plane to possibly plow into a village.[3]
Li was born inZhengzhou,Henan in 1964. He was known for his toughness andwork ethic. He joined the army in 1982, and was acolonel and first-class pilot before his death. During his 22-year flying career, Li flew 5,003 times registering 2,389 hours of safe flights, and was awarded third- and second-class honors.
On November 14, 2006, Li Jianying was flying over an area containing seven villages, 814 households, an express toll station and a tile workshop when his fighter jet ran into a flock ofpigeons. His jet had over 800 liters of aviation oil, more than 120 shells, a rocket, and explosiveoxygencylinders. Li knew that if he ejected, the jet would go out of control and possibly kill people. He radioed in that he was going to attempt a forced landing. He tried to set down on ariver bank, but his jet exploded on impact and he was killed.
He was posthumously awarded a first-class merit and a gold medal for pilots, the highest honor for a pilot.[citation needed] In 2008, he was tied for first place inCCTV's "China's 10 Most Moving People of 2007" award.[1][2]
Xie Tingxin and Li Jianying, both from Henan, won the "China's 10 Most Moving People of 2007" award, presented by CCTV.
