IAF launches investigation into crash
Air Force believes technical malfunction cause of Cobra helicopter crash, which took place 10 minutes after takeoff. All choppers will likely be grounded
The Cobra helicopter had only been in the air a mere 10 minutes before crashing near Kibbutz Ginegar on Wednesday evening. It had taken off from the nearby Ramat David base along with a second Cobra has part of a routine training flight.
Witnesses at the crash site said one of the propellers seemed to have detached from the body of the helicopter, sending it spiraling to the ground at an astonishing speed.
The second helicopter tried to aid the first after it had reported a malfunction, but to no avail. The pilot attempted to perform an emergency landing, and hit the ground. The ammunition it had been carrying exploded and the frame caught fire.
Police sappers helped diffuse the ammunition after they could approach. Rescue services were also prevented from entering the crash zone for an extended period of time as the fire raged.
