Serbian jet-fighter and helicopter crashed within days

A Serbian private helicopter Soko SA.341H Partizan, a Gazelle helicopter built under license in former Yugoslavia, crashed near the town of Zrenjanin in the morning of 27 May. The aircraft belonging to the Novi Sad-based company Ciklonizacija and registered YU-HEO (c/n 1140) had been spraying mosquito repellent in the area of the village Melenac when it went down in the lake of Rusanda at 0845 hours local time (GMT+1). According initial reports the helicopter crashed after its skid or spraying equipment contacted water surface while the aircraft was performing step turn at a very low level. Both crew members, pilot major Omer Mehic and copilot major Dejan Lekic, survived the crash and were immediately transported to Zrenjanin hospital following what they were transported to Belgrade Military Medical Academy (VMA) aboard Serbian Army Mi-8T helicopter. Both pilots were active Serbian Air Force pilots working under contract for Ciklonizacija at the moment of the crash. The medical examination at VMA showed that both pilots are in a good condition - major Mehic suffered face injuries while major Lekic sustained serious leg injury.

The crash of Serbian Gazelle helicopter happened only six day after another Serbian aircraft crashed in the same area. On 21 May, a Serbian Air Force single-seat Soko J-22 Orao twin-engine ground attack aircraft crashed near the village of Baranda. The aircraft that crashed was wearing serial 25114 and was operational with the 241.fighter-bomber aviation squadron that is part of the 98. air base Ladjevci, located near the central Serbian town of Kraljevo. The aircraft took-off from Ladjevci air base at 1100 hours local time (GMT+1) together with another plane of same type and flying in pair as a leading aircraft was to perform routine flight on route Ladjevci - Mladenovac - Pancevo - Titel - Pancevo - Mladenovac - Ladjevci flying at a high of 2500 meters with a speed of 600 km/h. The flight went well until 1130 hours local time when pilot major Tomas Janik experienced problems with his plane and was forced to eject following what the aircraft went down in the vicinity of the village Baranda and was completely destroyed. Shortly after the crash a massive Search and Rescue operation was launched the resulted with pilot Janik being transported to Belgrade Military Medical Academy (VMA) aboard Serbian Army Gazelle helicopter. Medical examination showed that major Janik has suffered fracture of his left tibia, thought life-threatening injures were excluded. The aircraft that crashed has been produced in former Yugoslavia on 18 July 1985 and has been recently overhauled by Serbian aircraft overhaul facility Moma Stanojlovic following what it rejoined Serbian Air Force on 16 March 2007 accumulating only 42 hours until the moment of crash.