4 Airmen Die In U-28A Crash

2012.02.21

4 airmen have died when the U-28A aircraft they were travelling in crashed near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in the Horn Of Africa. They were returning from a reconnaissance mission. Hostile fire was not suspected as the cause of the crash.

The four airmen killed in the crash were: Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the 319th Special Operations Squadron; Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Georgia, with the 34th Special Operations Squadron; 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Oregon, with the 34th Special Operations Squadron; and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, with the 25th Intelligence Squadron.

The U-28A is a light aircraft that is used for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance operations. It can also be used to insert and extract small teams of special operations forces. United States special operations forces have been operating from Djibouti for some time, engaging in counter piracy and anti-terrorist operations in the region.

A U-28 aircraft in flight. Based on the Pilatus PC-12, the U-28A is one of the intra-theater aircraft operated by Air Force Special Operations Command. It is rated for use on small runways and grass airstrips.

photo : U.S. Air Force

more info / further reading:

• Special ops forces killed in air crash in Horn of Africa
  (MSNBC)
  
  

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