Turkish fighter jet (F-16) crashes after training flight

Turkish fighter jet crashes after training flight
The pilot ejected from the F-16 and was uninjured.
By Doug G. Ware | Dec. 12, 2016 at 1:50 PM
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/ ... 481566708/

ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A Turkish fighter jet crashed after a training missions Monday, military officials said.

The F-16 was returning from the training sortie and attempting to land at a military base in Diyarbakir when it crashed, officials said.

The pilot ejected before the plane went down.

The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known. No injuries were reported.

Turkey has been part of military operations in northern Syria, where they have targeted Islamic State militants and Kurdish forces.

Diyarbakir is about 80 miles north of the Syrian border.

This brings Turkey's viper fleet to 239.

We do not know whether the aircraft was a Block 30 which underwent a Turkish indigenous modernization program or a CCIP/Advanced Block 50+.

As a result of the numerous attrition losses of late the Turkish Air Force may order another squadron of vipers as a stop-gap measure until it "commissions" its F-35 in 2018. However, a further F-16 order is more likely in light of Mr. Trump's recent statements on the JSF program. The Turkish Aerospace Industries F-16 production line has also not yet been decommissioned as it delivered its last F-16 Block 50+ only a year ago. Thus, reactivating this line would be quite easy.

The Turkish Air Force which usually has 500 combat aircraft in its fleet had had this size drop to 300 aircraft when it decided to retire the majority of its F-4 Flying coffins but was then unable to replace them with new F-16's due to the financial crisis at the time.

Thanks for the post! We added an article on http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article5039.html

Early rumors stated it was the same pilot who ejected on September 2nd, 2014 in the same area. That seems to be false though.

Thanks for the post! We added an article on http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article5039.html

Early rumors stated it was the same pilot who ejected on September 2nd, 2014 in the same area. That seems to be false though.

No probs Lieven.

There are strong rumors from sources close to TuAF circles that this was the product of a MANPAD rather than a training mission going wrong.

There are strong rumors from sources close to TuAF circles that this was the product of a MANPAD rather than a training mission going wrong.

So..., someone was hiding in the bushes and fired a surface to air missile against the F16...???
It would be nice if you can bring some more information about this mishap.

There are strong rumors from sources close to TuAF circles that this was the product of a MANPAD rather than a training mission going wrong.

So..., someone was hiding in the bushes and fired a surface to air missile against the F16...???
It would be nice if you can bring some more information about this mishap.

F-16's are also susceptible to MANPADS during take-off and landing.

The timing of the incident grossly corresponds to the timeframes the TuAF were conducting bombing missions in Northern Iraq against PKK targets.

The chatter is that the aircraft sustained a hit. This could be from MANPADs or 12.7mm or 14.5mm Anti-Aircraft gun rounds which the PKK have in their "inventory".

The US Congress (NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017) had authorised the US to arm the YPG/SDF with MANPADS: See http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/201 ... -S2943.pdf and http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/e357 ... s-in-Syria

If it is confirmed that it was in fact a US supplied manpad to the YPG/SDF that hit this aircraft this will cause a massive crisis of confidence between the two countries.

This incident will also have massive implications for civilian aviation in the region if it is confirmed that a MANPAD was responsible.

Open sources in Turkey are reporting that:

(1) the Pilot has confirmed in an interview that she sustained a direct hit.
(2) the aircraft crashed into a field next to Diyarbakir Airbase.

If the above is true, a MANPAD attack during takeoff or landing is more plausible.

Open sources in Turkey are reporting that:

(1) the Pilot has confirmed in an interview that she sustained a direct hit.

So the pilot is a woman?

Open sources in Turkey are reporting that:

(1) the Pilot has confirmed in an interview that she sustained a direct hit.

So the pilot is a woman?

Many pilots in the Turkish Air Force are females.


Maj. Esra Ozatay is even a Squadron Commander.

If anyone knows a serial, that would be nice to update our aircraft database.

Greets,

Update: aircraft belongs to the 181 Filo (Pars).

1) Its yet unclear if the surviving pilot is a male or female. It's only confirmed that the pilot is a lieutenant.
2) It's yet unclear if the lost F-16 is a Block 40 or 50+ one. 181 Pars squadron normally flies with Block 40.
3) If the pilot is a female one, she definitely is not the pilot named "Burcu" who survived another mishap several years back, again at Diyarbakır AFB. Ms. Burcu is not in TuAF any longer, she's flying as FO in Pegasus Airlines; the Turkish LCC.

1) Its yet unclear if the surviving pilot is a male or female. It's only confirmed that the pilot is a lieutenant.
2) It's yet unclear if the lost F-16 is a Block 40 or 50+ one. 181 Pars squadron normally flies with Block 40.
3) If the pilot is a female one, she definitely is not the pilot named "Burcu" who survived another mishap several years back, again at Diyarbakır AFB. Ms. Burcu is not in TuAF any longer, she's flying as FO in Pegasus Airlines; the Turkish LCC.

Photo's floating around of the wreckage show Conformal Fuel Tanks which thus confirms that this aircraft is a Advanced Block 50+ recently commissioned.

Your statement on Lt (Ret.) Şefika Burcu Arpacı is correct. She is no longer a commissioned officer in the TuAF. HOWEVER, a recent Presidential degree called for the immediate return of former TuAF pilots to serve in the Air National Guard due to a pilot shortage after the purge of 300 pilots who took part in the 15 July coup attempt. Hence, there may still be some truth to these allegations by some circles. We will need to wait and see.

News reports indicate that a female was taken to hospital after the crash.

Update: The pilot is most definitely a male.

Footage taken by Kurdish villagers at the site of crash. Scroll to 4:25 to see pilot.

Open sources in Turkey are reporting that:

(1) the Pilot has confirmed in an interview that she sustained a direct hit.
(2) the aircraft crashed into a field next to Diyarbakir Airbase.

If the above is true, a MANPAD attack during takeoff or landing is more plausible.

Every aircraft in the world are vulnerable during take off and landing. There is no information if it was a two seater or a single seat aircraft, but this isn't the issue. The problem is that if it really been hit by a missile, then you have a very serious problem...

Open sources in Turkey are reporting that:

(1) the Pilot has confirmed in an interview that she sustained a direct hit.
(2) the aircraft crashed into a field next to Diyarbakir Airbase.

If the above is true, a MANPAD attack during takeoff or landing is more plausible.

Every aircraft in the world are vulnerable during take off and landing. There is no information if it was a two seater or a single seat aircraft, but this isn't the issue. The problem is that if it really been hit by a missile, then you have a very serious problem...

AFAIK F-16's operated by the 181 filo are single seaters.

The possibility of this being a MANPAD has Turkish Defence circles alarmed. One needs to note that Sabiha Gokcen Airport in the heart of Istanbul came under rocket-propelled grenade attack just only a few months ago and also that a Turkish Cobra was shot-down by a MANPAD as well more recently.

If this is confirmed it will also have massive geopolitical implications. Turkish Crash Investigators are conducting a meticulous investigation as we speak. Their objective is to find the cause and if it is due to a direct hit identify the weapon used and country of origin.