Accident Reports
Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: SerialsD: Aug 16, 2016
N: Royal Air Force
T: MQ-9A Reaper
S: ZZ205
Written off in unspecified accident
at an unknown location.D: Oct 27, 2016
N/U: US Marine Corps/
VMFAT-501
T: F-35B Lightning II
S: 168057 ‘VM-01’
Although this accident has
previously been reported in AFM
(see Attrition, December 2016), the
extent of damage was unclear.
However, a report in Marine Corps
Times on June 21 revealed the
jet has not been repaired and has
become the first USMC F-35 to
be written off. It was determined
it won’t be cost effective to rebuild
the airframe. The aircraft had
made an emergency landing at
MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina,
with a fire in the weapons bay.
The blaze began when a faulty
bracket grazed electrical wiring
near hydraulic lines and an
electrical short ignited a small
hydraulic leak. The aircraft has
not yet been struck off charge
because its ultimate fate is yet to
be determined. It may become a
maintenance trainer or alternatively
be placed in a museum.D: Feb 3, 2017
N: British Army/Thales/UAV
Tactical Systems
T: Watchkeeper UAV
S: WK042
Details of this loss have only
recently come to light. While
being flown by a Thales/UAV
Tactical Systems crew under
a Military Flight Test Permit to
conduct a de-icing equipment
trial, the UAV crashed into thesea in Cardigan Bay, north of
West Wales Airport, Aberporth.D: Mar 24, 2017
N: British Army/Thales/UAV
Tactical Systems
T: Watchkeeper UAV
S: WK043
As with the above, the loss of
this UAV has only recently been
confirmed. Circumstances were
similar to the February 3, 2017,
loss, but occurred during a British
Army student conversion sortie.D: May 6, 2017
N/U: US Air Force/432nd
Wing/332nd AEW/361st ERS
T: MQ-9A Reaper
S: 12-4175
A previously unreported accident
involving the UAV was first
revealed on May 7 when Air
Combat Command published
an accident investigation board
report. This MQ-9A was destroyedwhen it crashed in the US Central
Command area of responsibility
after handover from the mission
control element to the launch
and recovery element. No
wreckage was recovered.D: Dec 23, 2017
N: Cameroon Air Force
T: Humbert Tétras 912
S: TJX-DA
While returning from an air
observation mission over the
Bénoué National Park, the
ultralight’s engine failed and it was
damaged during the ensuing crash-
landing in the Ngong area, about
31 miles (50km) from Garoua.
Two colonels were on board, but
their fate was not reported.D: Feb 7, 2018
N: Russian Air & Space Force
T: Orlan-10 UAV
Ukraine Air Defence Forces
shot down this UAV while itwas flying over an unspecified
area of Ukraine.D: Feb 7
N: Ukrainian Air Force
T: Su-27UB
After completing a training flight,
the crew detected a technical
problem and were unable to
lower the main undercarriage.
The Ukraine Ministry of
Defence confirmed they made
a safe emergency landing at an
unspecified air base and the
aircraft sustained minor damage.D: Feb 11
N: Royal Netherlands Air
Force/Arizona ANG/162nd
Wing/148th FS
T: F-16BM Fighting Falcon
S: J-369
This aircraft, callsign ‘Gypsy
4’, based for training with the
Arizona Air National at Tucson
International Airport, struck a
cable near Black Canyon City,
about 60 miles (96km) north
of Phoenix, Arizona. The pilot
diverted to Phoenix-Sky Harbor
International Airport and carried
out a safe emergency landing.
His wingman, in J-209 ‘Gypsy
3’, landed at the airport shortly
afterwards. The Dutch Ministry
of Defence reported the
aircraft was badly damaged.D: Feb 12
N: Sudanese Air Force
T: An-12BP
S: 9988
This aircraft skidded off the
runway at El Geneina air base in
western Sudan. An image posted
on the internet a day after the
accident shows the front of the
aircraft having run onto grassland.
There is little or no apparent
damage, at least to the forward
fuselage, visible in the photograph.D: Feb 20
N: USAF/35th Fighter Wing
T: F-16C Fighting Falcon
Shortly after take-off from
Misawa Air Base, Japan, the
engine caught fire and the pilot
declared an in-flight emergency.
After jettisoning two external fuel
tanks into Lake Ogawara, the
Fighting Falcon was recovered
safely, making an emergency
landing back at Misawa. There
were no injuries to the pilot
or anyone on the ground.Above: USMC F-35B 168057 ‘VM-01’ over Destin, Florida, during its delivery flight to VMFAT-501 at Eglin AFB, Florida.
This aircraft has just been written off following an in-flight fire on October 27, 2016. USAF/Staff Sgt Joely Santiago
Above: The tail section of Pakistan Army Bell 412EP 786-224, following its
crash on June 7. via Waseem Abbashttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 91