A C-160 Transall transport aircraft from the Turkish Air Force was compelled to perform an emergency landing during a routine training exercise in Kayseri, central Turkey, owing to a technical malfunction.
The incident unfolded as the aircraft was taking off from the Kayseri 12th Air Transport Base Command for a scheduled training session on 25 January.
Although the aircraft sustained damage, officials have confirmed that both the pilot and the crew emerged unharmed from the emergency landing.
“The aircraft suffered minor damage,” stated the Turkish Ministry of Defense. “The health of our pilots and crew is stable.”
Footage circulating on social media depicts the aircraft flying at low altitude over a road with its landing gear retracted. The aircraft landed but incurred heavy damage to the fuselage and wings.
Incredible level of airmanship by the pilots of this Turkish Air Force ISR-modified C-160 which suffered port engine malfunction during take off. Plane made hard landing, crew walked away without scratch.
The plane flew combat airdrop missions in 1974 and slated for retirement pic.twitter.com/RmHSOzlg48
— Arda Mevlutoglu (@orko_8) January 26, 2024
🔴Kayseri’de arıza sonrası şehir üzerinde alçak uçuş yapan uçağın iniş anına ait görüntüler ortaya çıktı.
🔴İniş sonrası lastiklerden duman çıkan C160 tipi uçağın pistte duramayarak toprak zemine çıktığı görülüyor. pic.twitter.com/FXAZ8yoDOz
— muratherdem (@muratherdemm) January 25, 2024
The C-160 aircraft, serial number 69-036, had undergone domestic upgrades, transforming it into a Target Acquisition/Command and Control (C2) Aircraft operated by 221 Filo with an intelligence twist. It was designated as C-160T and named “Gören-1” by the Turkish Air Force.
According to , the Turkish Air Force upgraded three Transalls to the C-160T Gören version. The status of the two remaining Gören aircraft is not entirely clear, as they were spotted in storage at Kayseri in 2019, but there is an expectation that they can be restored to airworthy condition. The C-160D transport aircraft have been retired and replaced by the A400M.