Chinese WZ-10 attack helo crashes

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
03 March 2014

A Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) WZ-10 attack helicopter operated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) crashed in the country's central Shaanxi province on 4 March.


A Chinese PLA WZ-10 attack helicopter that crashed in Shaanxi province on 4 March. (Xinhua News Agency)

No details of the incident have been released, other than local media reports that state the two crew members survived with injuries.Images of the crash scene indicate that the helicopter was written-off, and that it appears to have come down vertically from height.

The WZ-10 began flying in April 2003 and as of mid-2013 was active in at least five aviation regiments, according to IHS Jane's World Armies .

These are the 1st Army Aviation Regiment (of the 54th Group Army) based in Xinxiang, the 5th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 1st Group Army) based in Nanjing, the 6th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 42nd Group Army) based at Dalio (Sanshui), the 8th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 38th Group Army) based at Baoding, and the 9th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 39th Group Army) based at Liaoyang.