Both crew members of a Republic of Singapore Air Force Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter escaped injury when they were forced to make an emergency landing on 30 September.
“The helicopter was on a routine maintenance flight when it encountered engine problems. As an emergency drill, the pilots chose an open field away from buildings and populated areas to make an emergency landing,” the defence ministry says.
Both pilots were unhurt in the incident, but the Apache’s tail section separated from the fuselage after impacting the ground. It came to rest some distance away from the aircraft, which remained upright.
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Picture via Straits Times/STOMP |
The defence ministry says an air force response team was sent to the site to recover the aircraft, which was not equipped with a mast-mounted Longbow fire control radar. It has now been returned to Sembawang air base.
Singapore’s air force had an active fleet of 20 AH-64Ds prior to the accident. These were delivered between 2002 and 2006, as recorded in Flightglobal’s HeliCAS database. The aircraft are powered by General Electric T700-701C engines.
The defence ministry subsequently ordered a suspension of training activities with its remaining Apaches pending the findings of an investigation. It has also temporarily stopped training flights with the navy's six Sikorsky S-70B Seahawks, which use GE T700-401C engines.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
