A Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana (FARD, Dominican Republic Air Force)-operated Bell UH-1H-II Huey II utility helicopter crashed in Jimaní – the capital of the nation’s Independencia Province – on July 7.
![Dominican Republic AF Huey II FAD3062 [French Marine Nationale]](https://fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/inline-images/Dominican%20Huey%20II%20FAD3062%20-written%20off%207-7-21%20French%20Marine%20Nationale.jpg)
The helicopter – serial FAD3062 – crashed adjacent to a helipad in Jimaní and is likely to be a write-off, given that its tail boom has been severed, the undercarriage skids have collapsed, and the main and tail rotors have been smashed. No injuries have been reported as a result of the incident. The aircraft was assigned to the FARD’s Escuadrón de Rescate ‘Aguilas’ (Rescue Squadron ‘Eagles’) at Base Aérea San Isidro (San Isidro Air Base) near the Dominican Republic’s capital city, Santo Domingo.
This unit is the sole operator of the type in FARD service and continues to operate ten examples of the Huey II. The Dominican Republic received 12 of the helicopters in total; comprising eight former US Army-operated UH-1Hs and four existing FARD UH-1Hs, which were upgraded to UH-1H-II standard ahead of the type’s service introduction. The platform began operations with the FARD in May 2004 and just two examples have been lost in attrition cases during the fleet’s service life with the air arm.
