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A retired colonel serving as an instructor pilot died after a civilian training helicopter crashed during a training flight in Ankara on Tuesday. The aircraft's other occupant was injured and hospitalized.
The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed at approximately 10:02 a.m. local time near the E-90 highway in the Temelli area of Ankara’s Sincan district for reasons that remain under investigation.
Both occupants were initially rescued from the wreckage and received first aid at the scene. One was taken to a hospital by ground ambulance, while the other was evacuated by air ambulance.
Authorities later announced that the instructor pilot, retired Col. Yasa Ozden Bakkal, succumbed to his injuries. The other occupant, identified by prosecutors as B.K. and described as a member of the Air Force Command, remains under medical treatment.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek expressed deep sadness upon learning of Bakkal’s death.
Residents reported the crash to emergency services, prompting the deployment of multiple rescue, medical, police and gendarmerie teams.
The helicopter came to rest in an open field near the roadside. Security forces established a perimeter around the wreckage as investigators began examining the scene.
The Ankara Governor’s Office said both personnel aboard had initially survived the crash with injuries and were taken to hospitals after receiving emergency treatment.
Provincial Gendarmerie Command teams secured the area, while relevant institutions began examining the cause of the crash.
The Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the crash, assigning two prosecutors under the coordination of a deputy chief public prosecutor.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that instructions were issued for a crime scene examination and an expert aviation accident investigation team was tasked with determining how the crash occurred, adding that "the investigation is being conducted meticulously from all angles."
The cause of the accident remains unknown.
The Robinson R44 is a four-seat, lightweight civilian helicopter. Introduced in the early 1990s, it is widely used for pilot training, private transportation, aerial surveying, and law enforcement due to its relatively simple design and lower operating costs.
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