Abbreviations: D: Date N: Nationality U: Units T: Type S: Serials
Air Force Base, Georgia. Four
other E-8Cs were damaged by
flying debris from the engine,
but three of these had been
repaired within three days and
the fourth was expected to
have been repaired shortly after
January 1. The aircraft that
suffered the engine failure is
believed to be still grounded.D: Dec 21
N: Egyptian Air Force
T: S-70A-21 Black Hawk
During an attack on Al-Arish
Military Airport in Egypt’s Sinai
Peninsula, so-called Islamic
State forces launched an anti-
tank missile at this helicopter
while it was on the ground,
scoring a direct hit. The attack
targeted the Egyptian Interior
and Defence ministers who were
visiting the base, but they had
already exited the Black Hawk.D: Dec 21
N: Salvadoran Air Force
U: 1 Brigada Aérea
T: Arava 202
S: FAS801
This aircraft ran off the runway
on take-off from Base Aérea
Ilopango, San Salvador. It ran
across a road and came to rest
with a collapsed nosewheel. No
injuries were reported to the three
crew (pilot, co-pilot and aircraft
technician) and eight Special
Forces Command paratroopers
on board. The aircraft was taking
the troops to Chalatanango for a
skydiving display at a festival.D: Dec 26
N: Royal Air Force of Oman
U: 14 Squadron
T: NH90 TTH
The navigator of this helicopter
(Hilal bin Taleb bin Mohammedal Hashimi) was killed and the
two pilots slightly injured when it
crashed at Al Musana’ah Air Base
during a routine training mission.D: Dec 26
N: Syrian Arab Air Force
T: L-39ZA/ZO Albatros
S: 2139
During a combat mission over Um
Haratain village in northern Hama
province, the aircraft was shot down
by militants using a MANPADS,
possibly a Strela-2 or Strela-3.
The pilot was killed – unconfirmed
reports suggest he ejected but
was captured and executed. The
Syrian government acknowledged
the loss, but said it was due to a
technical fault. Militant group Tahrir
al-Sham claimed responsibility.D: Dec 27
N: Bangladesh Air Force
U: 21 Squadron
T: 2 x Yak-130S: 15103 and 15105
After taking off at 1756hrs for a
night training flight from BAF Base
Zahurul Haque, the two aircraft
crashed in the Cox’s Bazar district
at around 1830hrs following a
suspected mid-air collision. All
four crew members ejected
safely and were taken to BNS
Patenga Hospital for treatment.
Both aircraft burst into flames
on impact and were destroyed
when they came down at separate
locations in the Jaliapara area.D: Dec 27
N: Sudanese Air Force
U: Air Force Academy
T: Nanchang CJ-6A/PT-6
S: 256
Following a technical fault during
a routine training flight from Port
Sudan, this aircraft crashed in
the Al-Thawra neighbourhood,
east of Port Sudan. Its pilot,
an army cadet, was killed.D: Jan 1
N: South African Police Service/
KwaZulu-Natal Police
T: AS350B2 Ecureuil
S: ZS-RDL
All four personnel, along with a
rescue dog, survived with minor
injuries when this helicopter
crashed near Cathedral Peak,
Drakensberg, while searching
for a missing hiker. The Ecureuil
rolled over onto its starboard
side on a grassy slope and was
badly damaged. It is not known
whether strong, gusting winds at
the time were a factor. A South
African Air Force/15 Squadron
Oryx helicopter was scrambled
and flown to the crash site, but
none of the occupants of the
AS350B needed medical attention.Additional material from: Donny
Chan, Juan Carlos Cicalesi,
Maurits Evan, Krzysztof Kuska and
Scramble/Dutch Aviation Society.Polish MiG-29 serial 67 was lost in
a crash on December 18. Dino van
DoornSalvadoran Air Force Arava 202
rests on its nose after departing the
runway during take-off from Base
Aérea Ilopango.AFMhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #359 FEBRUARY 2018 // 89