Lebanese MD530F+ written off after crash landing

An MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) MD530F+ Cayuse Warrior belonging to the al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnania (Lebanese Air Force) has been written off after it crash landed into some trees on January 5.

Lebanese MD530F [MDHI]
Ground crew personnel work on one of the six MDHI MD530F+ Cayuse Warriors that were delivered to the Lebanese Air Force in October 2021. MDHI

The light attack/scout helicopter was conducting flight operations over the Bsharri District in the North Governorate of Lebanon before an emergency landing was attempted in some trees near the town of Hadath al-Jebbeh. All of the helicopter’s occupants are reported to have survived the crash.

According to the Lebanon 24 news service, the mayor of Hadath al-Jebbeh has said that the two soldiers on board the helicopter heard a strange sound during flight, which led the crew to attempt an emergency landing on some trees.

This attrition event has reduced the Lebanese Air Force’s newly acquired fleet of MD530F+ helicopters – which are operated by 31 Squadron – from six to five. The batch of six rotorcraft were delivered to Lebanon aboard a chartered civil-operated cargo aircraft in October 2021.

While the initial contract with MDHI (signed in October 2018) stated that Lebanon would receive the more advanced MD530G platform, the US Embassy in Lebanon referred to them as being MD530F+ rotorcraft following their delivery last year.