A CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter belonging to the Army Aviation Command crashed during landing in the Temelli district of Ankara, on April 21. One of the five soldiers on board sustained minor injuries, while the other four escaped unharmed.
This marks the first crash involving one of the 11 Chinook helicopters purchased from the US for the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) at a cost of $750 million.
The Defense Ministry said that the crash occurred during a training flight and that the cause will be determined following a technical inspection of the helicopter.
Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Metin Tokel, along with Polatlı District Governor Atilla Kantay and Sincan District Governor Levent Kılıç, arrived at the scene following the crash.
“The accident occurred during the helicopter's landing on the terrain, between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. According to military technicians, the helicopter can be returned to service following maintenance and repairs,” Kılıç said.
The number of personnel on board the helicopter was first announced by the district governor on the evening of the incident, and the following day by the Defense Ministry, at a weekly press conference. The helicopter had not crashed but had made a hard landing, the ministry spokesperson said.
The CH-47F Chinook is a versatile, twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. It has a top speed of 315 km/h and is faster than many utility or attack helicopters. The Chinook’s primary roles include troop movements, logistics, battlefield support and assistance to the community during severe weather events.
With an empty weight of 11,148 kg, these helicopters have a maximum capacity to carry 55 personnel or 11,500 kg of cargo and a maximum range of 2,252 km. Equipped with external cargo hooks, they can transport heavy loads such as armored vehicles and clear debris.
A total of 11 Chinook helicopters were ordered from Boeing for the TAF in 2011 and 2015, five of which were designated for VIP use, and deliveries took place between 2016 and 2019. Chinooks have been in service with the US Army since 1961.
SERIES OF CRASHES SPARK DEBATE
A series of aircraft crashes related to the Turkish Armed Forces over the past six months has sparked public debate over whether there was external interference.
On Nov. 11, 2025, a Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft crashed in Georgia approximately 30 minutes after taking off from the city of Ganja in Azerbaijan, killing 20 soldiers. On Dec. 23, 2025, a private jet carrying Libyan Chief of General Staff General Muhammad Ali Ahmed al-Haddad and his delegation after an official visit to Ankara crashed near the district of Haymana, killing eight people. On Feb. 25, a Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed shortly after taking off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balıkesir on a nighttime scramble mission. The pilot was killed. On March 22, a Qatari military helicopter crashed into the sea at Gulf of Basra, a Turkish air defense major, two Aselsan technicians, and four Qatari crew members lost their lives. The Defense Ministry has not yet issued a statement regarding the exact causes of these incidents.
