Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., October 25, 2008 Tishrei 26, 5769 | | Israel Time: 21:48 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Peres Center Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  14
Last update - 01:58 23/10/2008
IAF cadet, instructor killed in training flight in Negev
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel news 

An Israel Air Force cadet and a flight instructor were killed during a training flight on Wednesday when their plane crashed near the Halutza Dunes in the Negev.

The deceased were identified as Capt. Matan Asa, 24, of Yavneh and Cadet Carmi Ilan, 19, of Herzliya.

In response to the accident, the air force has grounded all its Zukit training planes until an investigation into the accident is completed, lest the cause turn out to be a technical problem with the planes. The investigating committee, appointed by IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehoshtan, is also looking into various other possibilities, such as human error.
Advertisement
Nehoshtan also ordered all air force bases to begin the day on Thursday with a review of safety procedures.

During Wednesday's flight, the trainee pilots were supposed to fly their planes only a few dozen meters above the ground. The trainees had already been in the air for half an hour and were heading back to the Hatzerim base when the pilot of the lead plane suddenly saw one of the others crash and go up in flames.

He immediately notified the control tower, which sent out a helicopter-borne rescue crew. However, both of the plane's occupants were dead by the time the rescue crew arrived.

Air force sources said that there is no record of any distress call having been made from the plane before it crashed.

"The planes were flying in single file, one after the other, and when the leading plane turned in the direction of the base in preparation for landing, the pilot saw the crashed plane," said Col. Yochanan Locker, the air force chief of staff. "They did not hear any distress call over the communications network. Apparently, the whole incident occurred within a few seconds."

He noted that the crashed plane was still largely intact, which might make the investigation easier.

Air force sources said that Ilan, who began his pilot's course about 18 months ago, had already clocked many hours in the pilot's seat, and had been fully trained on all the plane's systems, though he was still in what is termed the "initial" phase of his training. Asa, the flight instructor, had until recently been a combat pilot flying F-16s, they noted.

The Zukit is the IAF's name for the French-made Fouga Magister. Israel initially acquired these planes in the late 1960s and used them as fighter jets, but in the early 1980s, they were removed from combat and converted into training planes. At that point, the IAF installed new engines and upgraded various other systems. Despite their age, the Zukits are considered reliable and easy to operate, and generations of Israeli pilots have been trained on them. However, the air force announced a few months ago that it intends to take them out of use at the start of next year. They will be replaced by American T-6 training planes.

The IAF is due to acquire its first five T-6 planes early next year, and another 10 by the end of 2009. One of the main differences between the Zukit and the T-6 is that the former has a jet engine while the latter has a piston engine.

Meanwhile, the IAF is also still investigating the crash of a Cobra assault helicopter about six weeks ago, and IAF sources said investigators are increasingly convinced that this accident was due to a technical failure. All of the IAF's Cobras have been grounded since the accident, in which two pilots were killed.

Related articles:
  • IAF chopper crashes during drill, 2 pilots dead
  • ANALYSIS / Circumstances surrounding Cobra crash
  • http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=742281
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Palin as Olmert?
    Free flights and life of luxury characterize both the VP hopeful and our outgoing PM
    'Hit a Jew Day'
    St. Louis middle school students face punishment over spirit week game gone bad
      1.   IDF soldiers` loss of life. 00:36  |  sandra chitayat 23/10/08
      2.   #1, Sandra 00:57  |  Josh 23/10/08
      3.   As I`ve told you before Josh - the hypocracy 01:22  |  ChanahS 23/10/08
      4.   Josh#2 01:36  |  Philippe 23/10/08
      5.   #3, Chanah S. 01:57  |  Josh 23/10/08
      6.   #4, Philippe, the LA lady`s hairdresser 01:59  |  Josh 23/10/08
      7.   Replaced with a What? 02:38  |  UsedToPostHere 23/10/08
      8.   Does anyone remember the Fuga that crashed near Rehovot in 1969? 05:27  |  MKW 23/10/08
      9.   #5 Josh re Sandra 07:10  |  MR 23/10/08
      10.   Josh check your own spelling 09:36  |  x-ray 23/10/08
      11.   To Josh... 16:54  |  Silvienne 23/10/08
      12.   #4, Philippe and his "Pallywood".. 17:01  |  Silvienne 23/10/08
      13.   MR and x-ray...is that the best you can do? 17:02  |  Silvienne 23/10/08
      14.   re: Silvienne 23:16  |  UsedToPostHere 24/10/08
     Read & React
    'Hit a Jew Day' lands St. Louis students in hot water
    Responses: 117
    Peres in Sharm el-Sheikh: Saudi plan can bring peace to Mideast
    Responses: 43
    Bradley Burston: When Sarah Palin runs for president
    Responses: 66
    U.S. Muslims relieved by Powell's attack on anti-Islam rhetoric
    Responses: 82
    Anshel Pfeffer: Should Pius XII be made a saint? Leave that to the Vatican to decide
    Responses: 29


    More Headlines
    17:59 Livni camp: Shas has deceived the entire country
    21:48 ANALYSIS / Shas betting on its renewed alliance with Benjamin Netanyahu
    20:44 Israeli businessman reportedly kidnapped in Ghana
    12:57 Dennis Ross on why he's working for Obama and how he'd talk to Iran
    22:53 Bradley Burston / When Sarah Palin runs for president
    13:53 Is President Peres on his way to becoming a British knight?
    18:27 Four people killed in small plane crash in the Sharon
    14:02 Mourners bury family of four killed in apparent murder-suicide
    11:54 New Gallup poll shows 75% of U.S. Jews plan to vote Obama
    12:19 Abducted soldier Gilad Shalit receives letter from family, says France
    12:50 U.S. Muslims relieved by Powell's attack on anti-Islam rhetoric
    13:22 Rumors flurry about Ahmadinejad's health following event cancellations
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved