An R-44 training helicopter belonging to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI/TUSAŞ) crashed this morning in a rural area of the Sincan district, on the outskirts of Ankara, killing one of its occupants and injuring the other, according to Turkish authorities.
The accident occurred at around 10.00 am Turkish time (09.00 CET) in the neighbourhood of Temelli, some 25 kilometres south-west of the Turkish capital. For reasons as yet unknown, the helicopter crashed to the ground in an empty field next to a road. Following the emergency call, numerous rescue teams and medical services were dispatched to the scene, reported the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet.
As a result of the air crash, retired colonel and former pilot in the Turkish Air Force Yasaözden Bakkal, who had initially been rescued injured but alive and taken to hospital, died despite doctors’ efforts to save him. The other occupant, Air Force Major Bilgehan Kurtoğlu, remains in hospital. The area where the wreckage of the aircraft came to rest has been cordoned off by the authorities, whilst teams carry out the necessary investigations.
The Minister of Justice of Turkey, Akın Gürlek, confirmed the death of retired military officer Yasaözden Bakkal in a statement: “It is with deep sadness that I have received the news of the death of retired Colonel and pilot Yasaözden Bakkal in a training helicopter accident during an instructional flight in the Sincan district of Ankara.” “In relation to the accident, the Public Prosecutor’s Office in West Ankara has assigned two prosecutors, coordinated by a deputy chief prosecutor, and the judicial investigation is being carried out thoroughly in all respects,” added Gürlek.
The helicopter made an emergency landing during a flight
All the evidence suggests that the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing during a training flight, as confirmed by witnesses and journalists at the scene of the accident. As images from the scene show, the aircraft struck the ground but remained virtually intact.
The R44, an American-made helicopter, can carry four people and reach an average cruising speed of 200 kilometres per hour. Thanks to its low operating costs and wide field of view, this model is mainly used for pilot training, private flights, sightseeing tours, and aerial photography and imaging work.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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