Syrian MiG-21 crashes near Golan Heights


A Syrian MiG-21MF 'Fishbed' close-support/reconnaissance aircraft crashed on 22 September not far from the disputed Golan Heights on the Israeli border.
The heightened tensions between Syria and Israel - following the alleged recent Israeli air strike against Syria - are such that neither government is prepared to officially comment on this latest incident and it is not known whether the pilot survived.




link
http://www.janes.com/news/defence/ai...0927_1_n.shtml

Crashed or shot down?

My guts that tell me that Mig-21 is more shot down rather than crash.

I kind of agree or lean to it being down myself but my question why a Mig-21 and why only one. Most flights are in pairs recon being a type of a mission where one is use but still why a Mig-21, couldn't a Mig-23 be rig the same way? Little faster better fuel load and a little better radar I wonder how many Syrian fighters are operational? I know the RCS is lower or less on a Fishbed but Israel has ground radar and eyes in the sky up 24/7 so either would have been seen. I assume US Air Force has radar aircraft flying along their border looking in so just about any Syrian aircraft taking off could be tracked? Maybe a very special aircraft making a special flight made it's first kill, one would never know right?

Being a MIG-21 it probably just fell out of the sky. Those airframes would be at the end of their service life I'm sure.

Thats not somethin good . Mid East doesnt need a new crisis...