Jet carrying Libyan officers crashes in Turkiye, sparking investigation

Investigation Underway into Private Jet Crash in Turkey

Turkish authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the crash of a private jet that killed Libyan army chief Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad and seven others near Ankara. The probe is being led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is examining technical evidence, flight recordings, crew activity, and aircraft maintenance.

The French civil aviation investigations agency, BEA, has announced its participation in the investigation. General al-Haddad had arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for talks with Turkish officials before the plane took off from Ankara Esenboga Airport at 2:17pm. The aircraft, a French-made Dassault Falcon 50, reported an electrical malfunction 16 minutes later and requested an emergency return.

Radar contact was lost shortly after at 2:41 pm while the aircraft was descending towards the runway. Officials have confirmed that there was only a two-minute window between the emergency alarm and the crash. The forensic examination of the bodies has been completed, and they have been repatriated to Libya.

The site of the crash has been sealed off by Turkish security forces, and all wreckage, including the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, has been secured for analysis. Authorities are examining air traffic control recordings, radar data, and airport security camera footage as part of the investigation.

As part of the probe, officials have requested communication logs between the pilots and the control tower, crew rest periods, medical history, and records of meals or medication taken before the flight. Maintenance logs and documentation related to the aircraft’s most recent checks are also being reviewed.

Fuel samples have been taken from both the wreckage and airport tanks to rule out contamination or incorrect fuel use, while local weather data from the time of the crash has been requested. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are considering expanding it to include manufacturers and maintenance contractors if evidence points to a structural failure or design flaw.

Source: Al Jazeera