A retired military pilot was killed and a Turkish Air Force officer was injured Wednesday when a training helicopter belonging to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) crashed in Ankara, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The R-44 helicopter went down in an open area in Ankara’s Sincan district at 10:02 a.m. for a reason that has yet to be determined.
Retired Col. Yasa Özden Bakkal, the instructor pilot, died after being taken to a hospital. Maj. Bilgehan Kurtoğlu, a Turkish Air Force officer who was undergoing pilot training, remains hospitalized.
Emergency medical, firefighting and security teams were dispatched to the site following reports of the crash. The wreckage was cordoned off as investigators began examining the scene.
The Ankara Governor’s Office initially said both people aboard the helicopter had been rescued with injuries and taken to hospitals after receiving first aid at the scene. One was transported by ambulance and the other by air ambulance.
Turkish Aerospace CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu later confirmed Bakkal’s death in a statement on X and said the accident was being investigated in coordination with government agencies.
“We wish God’s mercy upon our fallen colleague and extend our condolences and wishes of patience to his family, loved ones and colleagues. We wish the injured pilot candidate a speedy recovery,” Demiroğlu said.
Bugün eğitim uçuşu gerçekleştiren R-44 tipi helikopterin kazaya uğraması sonucu çalışma arkadaşımız, Pilot Emekli Albay Yasa Özden Bakkal şehit olmuştur.
Şehidimize Allah’tan rahmet; ailesine, yakınlarına, çalışma arkadaşlarımıza sabır ve başsağlığı diliyor, yaralanan pilot…
— Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu (@dr_mdemiroglu) July 22, 2026
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched a judicial investigation into the crash. Two prosecutors were assigned to the case under the coordination of a deputy chief public prosecutor.
The prosecutor’s office ordered a crime scene examination and instructed an expert aviation accident team to prepare a report on the cause and circumstances of the crash.
The governor’s office said relevant agencies were continuing technical examinations to determine why the helicopter went down.