Pancarköy air disaster

1981 military air disaster in Turkey

Pancarköy air disaster

A similar Turkish Air Force F-5A 64-13340

Accident
Date| 22 September 1981 (1981-09-22)
Summary| Aircraft hit the hill due to pilot error and crashed into soldiers' military exercise site, Controlled Flight Into Terrain
Site| Babaeski Kırklareli, Turkey
41°23′44″N 27°07′36″E﻿ / ﻿41.3956°N 27.1267°E﻿ / 41.3956; 27.1267
Total fatalities| 66 (65 on the ground)
Aircraft
Aircraft type| Northrop F-5
Operator| Turkish Air Force
Registration| 64-13340
Flight origin| Babaeski, Kırklareli
Destination| Babaeski, Kırklareli
Crew| 1
Fatalities| 66 (65 on the ground)
Injuries| 72 (ground injuries)
Survivors| 30

During a military exercise in Babaeski, Kırklareli, on 22 September 1981, a Turkish Air Force Northrop F-5 crashed during a military exercise, killing 35 and injuring more than 72 soldiers. 31 more soldiers died later from their injuries. The crash is still the worst military air disaster in Turkey's history as of May 2024.[1][2][3]

## Event[edit]

On 22 September 1981 Turkish Armed Forces, were conducting a military exercise in Babaeski, Kırklareli, 2 kilometers away from the E-5 roadway.[4]

While more than 100 soldiers were on ground, Pilot Lieutenant Mustafa Özcan was piloting a Northrop F-5. According to a surviving soldier, the jet hit a hill and crashed into the soldiers.[5][6][7][8][9] 35 soldiers had died and more than 70 were injured. 31 more passed away days later. A river near the exercise saved some soldiers from burning.[10] Most of the soldiers' bodies were burnt badly. Eight of them could not be identified.[11][2]

## Memorial[edit]

A memorial site was erected in early 2000. The soldiers that died have their graves there. Every year on September 22, a ceremony takes place on the memorial site.[12]

## See also[edit]

* Ramstein air show disaster
* 1990 Italian Air Force MB-326 crash

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Pancarköy Faciasının Canlı Tanığı Rıfat Kılıç: Dinmeyen Acıya Mahkum Edildim". Milliyet. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
2. ^ a b "Accident F-5A 64-13340 23 Sep 1981". Aviation Safety Network. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
3. ^ "Babaeski Gazetesi". Babaeski Gazetesi. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
4. ^ "Pancarköy Faciası". Facebook post by Otuz Dokuz Kırklareli. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
5. ^ "Pancarköy Disaster". Konya Gazi Şehit. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
6. ^ "Hava Şehitleri Cilt 3 1966 - 1985". Tayyareci.org. 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
7. ^ "Pancarköy faciasının tanığı emekli Binbaşı Rıfat Kılıç: Dinmeyen acıya mahkûm edildim". Posta_(newspaper). 22 October 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
8. ^ "Otuz Dokuz Kırklareli". Otuz Dokuz Kırklareli. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
9. ^ "Pancarköy Faciasının Canlı Tanığıyla Görüştüm: Ömer Kılıç". Kerem Gök by Youtube. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
10. ^ "Pancarköy Faciası Rafet Seçkin". Rafet Seçkin. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
11. ^ "Pancarköy faciasının tanığı emekli Binbaşı Rıfat Kılıç: Dinmeyen acıya mahkûm edildim". Posta_(newspaper). 22 October 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
12. ^ "Silahlı Kuvvetlerimizin En Ölümlü ve Trajik Kazası: Pancarköy Faciası". rafetseckin.com. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.