Helicopter crashes into house, sparking fire: Full details of the Malatya tragedy

On the evening of November 12, 2026, in the eastern part of Turkey, in Malatya province, a tragic incident occurred that shocked the nation. A military Sikorsky S-70 helicopter crashed, resulting in the death of four military personnel on board.

Scene of the incident and its aftermath

The emergency occurred around 18:45 in the Samanköy area of Yeşilyurt district, Malatya province. After the helicopter crashed, a powerful fire broke out, spreading directly to one of the nearby residential houses.

Emergency services (AFAD) and professional firefighting teams arrived at the scene immediately and extinguished the fire in a short time. It was officially confirmed that there were no casualties among the local residents on the ground.

Names of the military and official statement

Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler expressed deep condolences regarding the tragedy and disclosed the identities of the deceased. As a result of the crash:

• Two pilot majors — Erdem Çimen and Orkun Pınar;

• Two technical personnel — Hüseyin Zehir and Serkan Önder lost their lives.

Investigation process and information about the helicopter

For now, the causes of the military helicopter crash remain unknown. The Malatya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has immediately launched an official criminal investigation into the incident, and a special team of prosecutors is conducting an inspection at the scene.

For information, Sikorsky S-70 (the export version of the skilled and famous Black Hawk helicopter) is considered a reliable multi-purpose military helicopter widely used by the Turkish Armed Forces for personnel transport, military logistics, and search and rescue operations.

In your opinion, what technical or weather factors could mainly cause such complex military helicopters to crash suddenly? Leave your thoughts in the comments!