USAF F16 pilot killed in crash near Bagram

US Air Force Captain James Michael Steel was killed on 3rd April 2013 in an air crash near Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

29-year-old Captain Steel, from Tampa, Florida, was an F-16 pilot with 77th Fighter Squadron based at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. He was on approach to land at Bagram after a mission late in the evening, when his wingman and air-traffic control lost contact with him. The incident happened approximately 10 miles south of the runway.

Officials later said there was no enemy action in the area at the time of the incident.

He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 2006 and transferred to Shaw AFB in 2010.

More information to follow.

US Army Captain Sara Cullen killed in helicopter crash

US Army Captain Sara M. Cullen was among those killed on 11th March 2013 in a helicopter crash over Kandahar.

Capt. Cullen was one of the crew of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter flying above the Daman district of Kandahar during a heavy rainstorm when the aircraft crashed, killing all five US soldiers on board.

According to an announcement on the West Point website, Capt. Cullen (nee Knutson) had previously been based at Fort Wainwright in Alaska and had also deployed to Pakistan on a humanitarian mission. She deployed to Afghanistan in January.

She married a former Blackhawk pilot in November last year and he deployed to Afghanistan in February this year with a private contracting company.

More information to follow.

Turkish soldiers killed in helicopter crash identified

A Turkish military aircraft transported the bodies of twelve military personnel killed in a helicopter crash, back to Turkey in the early hours of 18th March. On arrival at Etimesgut Military Airport, the bodies were transferred to Forensic Medicine Institution at Kecioren. Turkish officials have released the names of the crash victims:

Major Mithat Çolak
Major Şükür Bağdatlı
Major Serkan Dogan
Major Ismail Cem Yakinlar
Captain Adil Erdogan
Captain Ilker Aydin
Lieutenant Murat Yildiz
Lieutenant Tahsin Barutçu
Lieutenant Okan Melikoğlu
Sgt. Major Salih Helvacı
Sgt. Major Mehmet Akbas
Sergeant Onay Vurucu

Turkish military fatalities in Afghanistan

Twelve Turkish soldiers killed in helicopter crash

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that twelve military personnel were killed when their helicopter crashed on Friday 16th March 2012.

The helicopter was on a mission for NATO forces when it went down near Kabul, the Turkish military said in a statement. "Twelve of our military personnel on board were martyred," it said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there were officers and non-commissioned officers on board.

There was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash, according to NATO.

The aircraft went down in a residential area on the outskirts of Kabul, killing four Afghan civilians on the ground.

More details to follow.

Four civilian aircrew killed in helicopter crash

Four crew members from Tajikistan were killed on 11th February 2012 when their helicopter crashed in Zabul province during a food supply flight for ISAF troops operating in the area.

The Russian-built EY-106 helicopter belonged to the global logistic company Supreme Group, which provides services for NATO and ISAF in Afghanistan.

The cause of the crash is being investigated and is thought to have been caused by a technical malfunction. There was no reported enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash. "Investigations as to the cause of the crash are ongoing but no other parties appear to have been involved in the incident," the company, Supreme Group, said in a statement.

US Marine Captain Nathan McHone

US Marine Captain Nathan R. McHone, 29, was killed in a helicopter crash in Helmand province on Thursday 19th January 2012. Five others were killed in the same incident.

Captain McHone, one of the helicopter's pilots, served with the Hawaii-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363. He joined the Marine Corps in 2005 and joined the squadron in October 2009. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan.

More information to follow.

US Marine Corporal Kevin Reinhard

25-year-old US Marine Corporal Kevin J. Reinhard was one of six Marines killed on 19th January 2012 when their helicopter crashed in Helmand province. He joined the Marine Corps in the spring of 2008, interrupting his college studies to do so.

"He felt he needed to do something more, something better with his life than what he felt he was doing," his sister told the Daily Record. "He wanted to serve his country, so he left school and enlisted."

He joined the Hawaii-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 in September 2009 and deployed with the unit to Afghanistan in August last year. This was his second combat tour.

Corporal Reinhard's awards include Air Medal (3), Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal and NATO ISAF Medal.

US Marine Corporal Jesse Stites

23-year-old US Marine Corporal Jesse W. Stites, was one of six Marines killed on 19th January 2012 when their helicopter crashed in Helmand province. He joined the Marine Corps in January 2008 and had served with the Hawaii-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 since March 2009.

He deployed to Afghanistan (his second tour) in August 2011 and was due to return home in March this year.

Cpl Stites leaves his mother Carol, his wife and two sisters. He was predeceased by his father, John Stites.

US Marine Corporal Joseph Logan

22-year-old US Marine Corporal Joseph D. Logan, from Texas, was one of six Marines killed on 19th January 2012 when their helicopter crashed in Helmand province.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 2008 and joined the Hawaii-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 in May as an aerial observer. This was his second deployment.

Cpl. Logan's awards include an Air Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and NATO ISAF Medal.

He leaves his wife, parents, siblings and other close relatives.

US Marine Captain Daniel Bartle

US Marine Captain Daniel Bartle was among six Marines killed on 19th January 2012 when the helicopter he was in crashed while on operations in Helmand province.

He served with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

27-year-old Captain Bartle, a congressional page and a United States Naval Academy graduate, was one of the pilots of the aircraft. He grew up in Missoula, Montana and decided to serve his country while working as a congressional page in Washington, D.C.

Captain Bartle leaves his parents, John and Sandra, a brother and sister.

US Contractor James Scott Ozier killed in helicopter crash

30-year-old US Contractor James Scott Ozier was one of three aircrew members killed on 16th January 2012 in a helicopter crash in Helmand province. Mr. Ozier was employed by AAR Airlift, a US company contracted to work in Afghanistan for the US Department of Defense.

Mr. Ozier, a graduate of Northport High School in Northport, Alabama, was a helicopter mechanic with the company.

He leaves behind his wife Lauren, parents Charles and Sandy, two brothers Allen and Eric, sister Martha Ann and many other relatives and friends.

US Contractor Todd Walker killed in helicopter crash

48-year-old US Contractor Todd Walker was one of three aircrew members killed on 16th January 2012 in a helicopter crash in Helmand province. Mr. Walker was employed by AAR Airlift, a US company contracted to work in Afghanistan for the US Department of Defense. He had flown helicopters for 27 years all across the world.

His parents talked about their son to local news. "He loved the Lord and that was first in his life. After that, his wife and his three kids. He adored his family," his mother Jan said. "He lived on the edge. That's what I always tell everybody. He lived on the edge all his life."

His father Darrell said "He liked people. He liked to travel. He wasn't afraid to do anything."

Todd Walker leaves behind a loving wife, three kids, a sister, and his parents.

US Contractor Michael Clawson killed in helicopter crash

51-year-old US Contractor Michael Clawson was one of three aircrew members killed on 16th January 2012 in a helicopter crash in Helmand province.

Mr. Clawson was employed by AAR Airlift, a US company contracted to work in Afghanistan for the US Department of Defense.

According to a local news report, Mr Clawson leaves behind his wife and five children.

More information to follow.

Cause of US Army Helicopter crash released

The cause of the August 2011 Chinook helicopter crash that killed 30 American service personnel has been officially announced by US military investigators.

The official investigation report, released on Wednesday 12th October 2011 by US Central Command said: "A previously undetected group of suspected Taliban fighters fired two or three RPGs in rapid succession from the tower of a two-story mud brick building approximately 220 meters south of the aircraft. The first RPG missed the helicopter, but the second RPG struck one of the blades on the aft (rear) rotor assembly and exploded."

The crash killed everyone on board the helicopter including 17 US Navy SEAL members, 5 US Navy Special Operations personnel, 3 USAF personnel, 5 US Army helicopter crew members, 7 Afghan Commandos, and Afghan interpreter and a US military dog.

Click here for a list of the fallen service members.

Helicopter crash claims NATO lives

Kabul (6th August 2011): A NATO helicopter crashed in Wardak province during the night reportedly killing all on board. The U.S.-led coalition said in a statement that 30 American service members, a civilian interpreter and seven Afghan commandos were killed when the CH-47 Chinook went down. A current U.S. official and a former U.S. official said the Americans included 22 SEALs, three Air Force air controllers and a dog handler and his dog. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because military officials were still notifying the families of the dead.

It is thought that the helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in the Tangi Valley of the Wardak Province just west of Kabul.

NATO spokesman, Captain Justin Brockhoff of the United States Air Force, confirmed the crash but could provide no further information, including what caused the crash.

Crew of Azerbaijan Cargo plane crash

An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane belonging to Silk Way Airlines of Azerbaijan crashed into a mountainside in Afghanistan's Parwan Province at approximately 21.10 GMT on 5th July. The plane was flying from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Bagram military base, carrying cargo for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Body parts have been found with the wreckage of the plane although no formal identifications have been possible.

It is not thought that any of the crew could have survived the crash. The airline has released the names of the nine crew members on board the aircraft.

1. Captain Sergey Kuzmin (born in 1969)
2. Co-pilot Oleg Marshikhin (born in 1979, from Azerbaijan)
3. Navigator Igor Zheng (born in 1966)
4. Engineer Vladimir Shatobin (born in 1969)
5. Radio operator Ahmedjan Khajayev (born in 1955, from Azerbajian)
6. Radio operator Elnur Mahmudov (born in 1981, from Azerbaijan)
7. Onboard operator Tapdig Gahramanov (born in 1964, from Azerbaijan)
8. Mechanic Afghan Rahimov (born in 1980, from Azerbaijan)
9. Mechanic Mehman Huseynov (born in 1962, from Azerbaijan)

US Army helicopter pilot, Kenneth White

US Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kenneth R. White, age 35, from Fort Collins, Colorado, was one of two pilots killed on 5th June 2011 when their aircraft crashed in Khost province, Afghanistan.

CWO White was from Task Force Tigershark, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. He joined the army in 1994 and went to flight training school in 2002, serving at Fort Drum since 2003.

He served in Iraq twice and deployed to Afghanistan in October 2010. He leaves his wife and three children.

Also killed in the crash was CWO2 Bradley Gaudet from Gladewater, Texas.

US Army helicopter pilot, Bradley Gaudet

US Army helicopter pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Justin Gaudet, age 31 from Gladewater, Texas was killed on Sunday 5th June 2011 when his helicopter crashed in Khost province, Afghanistan.

CWO Gaudet was from Task Force Tigershark, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. He joined the army in 2004 and flight training school in 2006.

CWO Gaudet served twice in Iraq and deployed to Afghanistan in October 2010.

He had returned home last month for his daughter's birth and went back to Afghanistan a few days later to finish his tour. He and his wife, Ginny, also have a 10-year-old daughter, Tealie. 

Also killed in the helicopter crash was CWO Kenneth White from Fort Collins, Colorado.

Helicopter crash kills two NATO troops - 5 June 2011

A US Army helicopter crashed Sunday 5th June 2011 in eastern Afghanistan, killing two Mountain Division army pilots, in the third such incident in as many weeks.

As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying it had downed a Western chopper in the Sabari district of Khost province, near the Pakistan border. However, the Taliban are always quick to claim to have shot down any NATO aircraft that crashes. Military officials said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

The pilots of the aircraft were US Army Chief Warrant Officer Bradley Gaudet and US Army Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth White.

Lieutenant Marcus Case

Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case, aged 27, was killed on 30th May 2011 when an Australian Chinook helicopter crashed in Zabul province during a re-supply operation.

Lt. Case served with the Sydney based 6th Aviation Regiment an was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He was a Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator.

Prior to his deployment in Afghanistan, Lt. Case had served in East Timor in 2007 and assisted in the Queensland floods in January 2011.

In 2003, Lt. Case was posted to 1 Commando Regiment. In 2008, he transferred to the Australian Regular Army and trained as a pilot at the Army Aviation Training Centre.