Ankara, Turkey: A training helicopter belonging to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) crashed during a routine training flight in Ankara on July 22, killing the instructor pilot and injuring another person on board.
The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed at around 10:02 a.m. local time in an open area near the E-90 highway in the Temelli area of Ankara’s Sincan district. The aircraft was carrying two people at the time of the accident.
The deceased was retired Colonel Yasa Özden Bakkal, an instructor pilot who had been involved in the training flight. Bakkal initially survived the crash but later died from his injuries after being taken to hospital.
The second occupant, identified as Major Bilgehan Kurtoğlu, a Turkish Air Force officer undergoing pilot training, was injured and remained hospitalized for treatment. Initial reports from authorities said both occupants were rescued from the wreckage with injuries and received first aid at the scene. One was transported to hospital by ground ambulance, while the other was evacuated by air ambulance.
Emergency medical, firefighting, police and security teams were dispatched after residents reported the crash. The helicopter came down in an open field near the roadside, with security forces establishing a perimeter around the wreckage while investigators examined the scene.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation and assigned two prosecutors under the coordination of a deputy chief public prosecutor. Authorities also ordered a crime-scene examination and appointed an expert aviation accident investigation team to prepare a report on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Ankara Governor’s Office initially confirmed that the two people aboard had been rescued with injuries and transported to hospitals following emergency treatment. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek later confirmed the death of the instructor pilot and expressed condolences following the fatality.
The Robinson R44 is a four-seat, lightweight civilian helicopter commonly used for pilot training and other aviation operations. In this case, the helicopter was operated by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) as part of a training flight.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released a preliminary explanation for what caused the helicopter to crash.
