IAF Apaches back in service after accident report studied

Israeli Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Markin Monday ordered the Apache helicopter fleet returned to full battle service. They were grounded for a month after an accidental crash at the Ramon Airbase in the Negev, on Sept. 25, in which the pilot, Major (res) Dudi Zohar, was killed and his co-pilot Lt. On, seriously injured and now recovering.  Investigators established in their second report that the accident was caused by a joystick connected to the tail rotor cutting out because of a fault in the installation of the steering column. Therefore, the pilots lost control of the Apache as it came into to land at the air base, after staying in the air for six minutes from the moment of their alert to the control tower.