USAF Pilot Safe After A-29 Crashes in Afghanistan

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

A U.S. Air Force pilot flying an Afghan Air Force A-29 Super Tucano safely ejected before the aircraft crashed during a July 9 training flight in Afghanistan.

U.S. Forces-Afghanistan said the pilot was recovered after the crash. While the cause of the mishap is under investigation, preliminary indications show mechanical issues are to blame. USFOR-A did not disclose where the crash occurred.

The turboprop A-29, provided by Embraer and Sierra Nevada Corp., is the Afghan Air Force’s main light attack aircraft used for close air support. A-29s have two seats, but can be flown by one pilot.

USAF leads Kabul-based train, advise, and assist efforts that are building up the AAF’s capabilities in the A-29. Afghan forces have 25 A-29s in-country, with 10 more at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., for training. Nearly 30 Afghan pilots are qualified to fly the airframe.

This is the first A-29 crash since a pilot died in a June 22, 2018 incident near Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., during the Air Force’s own experiment with light attack aircraft.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org