MDH.520G Defender

Date Updated:
Saturday April 09, 2005


Service History | Current Status |
Photos |
Fleet Information |
Write-Offs

Service History

20 in use (service rate is said
to be at about 75 to 80% of the fleet). 28 delivered in total. Most still in
service but attrition has been high. The most
recent accident occurred during the Balikatan exercises this year.  The
MG520s were delivered in two batches – first batch of 22 in 1990 and second
batch of 6 a couple of years later.

Current Status

 

inventory


supportable


operationally ready

 

 

 

 

1991
(CY-91)

22

21

19

1992
(CY-92)

28

21

16

1993
(CY-93)

28

21

15

1994 (1st
semester CY-94)

28

21

17

2002 (Speculative)

20

?

15?

Fleet Information


PAF s/n

c/n


d/d                      

fate,
last noted

notes

 

 

 

 

 


Twenty-two ordered 1988 and another six later. (One source says 33 were
acquired. This does not appear to be correct.)

 

 

 

 

 

15385

0385E

08.10.90

w/o
15.12.98

 

15386

0386E

08.10.90

w/o
03.06.93

 

15387

0387E

08.10.90

90

 

15388

0388E

08.10.90

w/o
12.10.90

 

15389

0389E

17.10.90

 

 

15390

0390E

17.10.90

92

 

15395

0395E

17.10.90

91

 

15398

0398E

17.10.90

91

 

15403

0403E

17.10.90

 

 

15404

0404E

17.10.90

05.98

 

15410

0410E

??.11.90

06.96

 

15411

0411E

??.11.90

 

 

15417

0417E

??.11.90

05.98

 

15418

0418E

??.11.90

91

 

15424

0424E

??.11.90

07.94

 

15425

0425E

??.11.90

 

 

15431

0431E

??.01.91

91

 

15432

0432E

??.01.91

 

 

15436

0436E

??.01.91

w/o
29.04.02

 

15437

0437E

??.01.91

 

 

15438

0438E

??.01.91

05.98

 

15439

0439E

??.01.91

05.98

 

15503

0503E

 

 

 

15504

0504E

 

 

wreck at
Atienza AB 05.98

15505

0505E

 

 

 

15506

0506E

 

92

 

15507

0507E

 

92

 

15508

0508E

 

92

 

Know
 Write-Offs

date

s/n

fate
of crew


location, remarks

 

 

 

 

12.10.90

15388

 

Crashed
at Sangley Point, Cavite, only four days after delivery. Three injured.

07.04.92

 

Student,
Lt. Rosela Junio, was killed; instructor, Capt. Julius Guillermo, survived.

Crashed
at Fernando AB, Batangas, killing the PAF’s first female pilot. The
instructor was later blamed for „failing to take corrective action in time.“

03.06.93

15386

 

Crashed
into shallow water on a coral reef near Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro, during what
has been reported as either a „test flight“ or an „unauthorized flight“,
killing the two PAF lieutenants and three girls(!) on board.

10.12.96

 

 

Rotor
touched the ground on take-off from Ft. Magsaysay, resulting in the
helicopter turning over and reportedly being damaged beyond repair. Four
injured.

04.07.98

15501

All three
on board killed, including pilots Capt. Bernard Pudador and Capt. Marjoe
Laplaha.

Collided
in mid-air (rotors touched) and crashed shortly after take-off from Edwin
Andrew AB, Zamboanga, while transporting ammunition to a military post at
Cotabato City (counter-insurgency mission). 15501 came down in a residential
area at Cabato Flower Farm in Brgy. Tetuan, killing the two pilots, while
the sole passenger died later in hospital, with three civilians on the
ground being injured. The other helicopter crashed into mango trees 500ft
away and although all three on board survived they were reported to be in
critical condition.


Following the crash, all 20 remaining MDH.320MGs were grounded.

04.07.98

15511

All three
on board seriously injured.

15.12.98

 

Both crew
injured.

While
hovering at Atienza AB, Cavite, during a special flight operation the
aircraft

developed
mechanical problems and made an „abrupt descent“, causing damage to the main
and tail rotor.

29.04.02

15436

 

Lt.
Raymond Acida and Lt. Sheila Grace Vicente suffered minor injuries.


Crash-landed at Clark Field on a return flight from Fort Magsaysay whilst
taking part in the  RP-US Balikatan joint military exercise. It is believed
that the aircraft has been written off.