Sudanese PT6 Training Aircraft Crashes Due to Technical Failure

A Sudanese PT6 military training aircraft crashed due to technical failure at the air force base in eastern Sudan’s city of Port-Sudan, killing the pilot.

“A (PT6) military plane has crashed due to technical failure killing army cadet, Sayaf Idris Osman Sulieman, who was flying as part of the daily training programme at the Air Force College,” army spokesperson Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami was quoted as saying by Sudan Tribune Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said the pilot sought to avoid a number of residents during the crash landing, pointing the aircraft crashed in Al-Thawra neighbourhood, east of Port-Sudan.

Sudan’s air force fleet of Russian-made planes and helicopters has suffered a number of losses in recent years, with the military frequently blaming technical problems.

Last June, a military plane crashed in the Northern State, killing all four crew members on board.

In October 2016, a Bo 360 helicopter crashed in Um Hani area, White Nile State, 105 kilometres south of Khartoum killing the pilot and injuring two crew members.

In April 2016, an Antonov 26 fighter jet crashed while landing at the airport in El Obied, the capital of North Kordofan state, killing all five crew members on board.

Also, 32 people were killed in August 2012 when their Antonov AN-26 crashed in Talodi, South Kordofan’s third-largest town.

In October 2012, an Antonov plane crashed in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman killing 12 people.

Two air force crew died in June 2013 when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan.