MDH.520G Defender
Date Updated:
Saturday April 09, 2005
Service History | Current Status | Photos | Fleet Information | Write-Offs
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.
|
|
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? |
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 |
|
|
|
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. |