1987 Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdown

1987 Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdown
Shootdown
Antonov An-26 aircraft similar to the one involved in the incident
Date	11 June 1987
Summary	Missile attack
Site	Near Khost, Afghanistan 33°20′N 69°55′E / 33.333°N 69.917°E / 33.333; 69.917
Total fatalities	53
Total injuries	2
Total survivors	2
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Antonov An-26
Operator	Bakhtar Afghan Airlines
Registration	YA-BAL
Flight origin	Kandahar
Destination	Kabul
Occupants	55
Passengers	50
Crew	5
Fatalities	53
Injuries	2
Survivors	2

The 1987 Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdown was a military incident that occurred on June 11, 1987, during the Soviet–Afghan War. A Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 was shot down by a missile near Khost, Afghanistan, resulting in 53 fatalities out of the 55 people on board. Afghan mujahideen insurgents fired the missile that struck the Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26. These insurgents were using surface-to-air missiles supplied by international supporters, including the United States as part of their efforts to combat Soviet and Afghan government forces during the Soviet–Afghan War.

Background

Bakhtar Afghan Airlines, the national carrier of Afghanistan, operated domestic flights across the country, often over conflict zones. The Antonov An-26 involved in this incident, registered as YA-BAL, was manufactured in 1985 and was actively used for domestic flights within Afghanistan.

Aircraft details

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, known for its robustness and versatility. It can carry up to 40 passengers or 5,500 kg of cargo and features a rear ramp door for quick loading and unloading. The aircraft involved, registered as YA-BAL, had the manufacturer's serial number 14105.

Incident

On June 11, 1987, the Antonov An-26 departed from Kandahar, carrying 55 people, including both passengers and crew members. The flight was part of Bakhtar Afghan Airlines' routine operations. Shortly after takeoff, as the aircraft was flying near Khost, it was targeted and struck by a surface-to-air missile. The missile caused catastrophic damage, leading to the aircraft crashing. The attack resulted in 53 fatalities, with only two survivors.

The attack was part of the ongoing conflict during the Soviet–Afghan War, where insurgent groups frequently targeted aircraft, mistaking them for military transports. In this case, it was believed that the rebels thought the Antonov An-26 was a military Ilyushin Il-14.

References

"OPERATION CYCLONE". cia.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
^ "Unlawful Interference Antonov An-26 YA-BAL, Thursday 11 June 1987". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2024-08-08.

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1987 (1987)
Jan 3 Varig Flight 797Jan 15 SkyWest Airlines Flight 1834Jan 16 Aeroflot Flight U-505Mar 4 Northwest Airlink Flight 2268Apr 4 Garuda Indonesia Flight 035May 8 American Eagle Flight 5452May 9 LOT Flight 5055May 19 Air New Zealand Flight 24Jun 11 Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdownJun 19 Aeroflot Flight N-528Jun 26 Philippine Airlines Flight 206Jul 24 Air Afrique Flight 056Jul 30 Mexico City Boeing C-97 crashAug 16 Northwest Airlines Flight 255Aug 31 Thai Airways Flight 365Oct 11 Burma Airways Fokker F27 crashOct 15 Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 460Oct 20 Ramada Inn Corsair crashNov 15 Continental Airlines Flight 1713Nov 28 South African Airways Flight 295Nov 29 Korean Air Flight 858Dec 7 Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771Dec 8 Alianza Lima disasterDec 13 Philippine Airlines Flight 443Dec 21 Air Littoral Flight 1919Dec 23 Finnair Flight 915
1986 ◄ ► 1988

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1987 (1987)

Jan 3 Varig Flight 797Jan 15 SkyWest Airlines Flight 1834Jan 16 Aeroflot Flight U-505Mar 4 Northwest Airlink Flight 2268Apr 4 Garuda Indonesia Flight 035May 8 American Eagle Flight 5452May 9 LOT Flight 5055May 19 Air New Zealand Flight 24Jun 11 Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdownJun 19 Aeroflot Flight N-528Jun 26 Philippine Airlines Flight 206Jul 24 Air Afrique Flight 056Jul 30 Mexico City Boeing C-97 crashAug 16 Northwest Airlines Flight 255Aug 31 Thai Airways Flight 365Oct 11 Burma Airways Fokker F27 crashOct 15 Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 460Oct 20 Ramada Inn Corsair crashNov 15 Continental Airlines Flight 1713Nov 28 South African Airways Flight 295Nov 29 Korean Air Flight 858Dec 7 Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771Dec 8 Alianza Lima disasterDec 13 Philippine Airlines Flight 443Dec 21 Air Littoral Flight 1919Dec 23 Finnair Flight 915

1986 ◄ ► 1988

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in Afghanistan
1980s	Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdown (September 1985) Bakhtar Afghan Airlines Antonov An-26 shootdown (June 1987)
1990s	Airstan incident (August 1995) Ariana Afghan Airlines crash (March 1998) Indian Airlines Flight 814 (December 1999)
2000s	Blackwater 61 crash (November 2004) Kam Air Flight 904 (February 2005)
2010s	Pamir Airways Flight 112 (May 2010) Transafrik International Flight 662 (October 2010) Silk Way Airlines Flight 995 (July 2011) Boeing Chinook shootdown (August 2011) National Airlines Flight 102 (April 2013) Silk Way Airlines Antonov An-12 crash (May 2016)
See also: List of aviation accidents and incidents in the war in Afghanistan, List of Soviet aircraft losses during the Soviet–Afghan War

Categories:

Background

Aircraft details

Incident

See also

References