Editor’s Note: The MC-12S-2, better known as the EMARSS-M, is a manned multi-intelligence airborne intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (AISR) system that provides a persistent capability to detect, locate, classify/identify, and track surface targets in day/night, near-all-weather conditions with a high degree of timeliness and accuracy. The EMARSS system consists of a King Air 350ER aircraft equipped with an electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, communications intelligence collection system, an aerial precision geolocation system, line-of-site tactical and beyond line-of-site communications suites, two Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) workstations and a self-protection suite.

An advanced U.S. Army reconnaissance aircraft crash-landed in a field outside of Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan on Saturday morning.

A statement from the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq confirmed the crash as an “off-airport emergency landing in a field northwest of Irbil.” None of the four passengers were injured, and the aircraft has been secured by U.S. and Kurdish forces.

According to the statement, “the cause of the crash is under investigation but initial reports rule out the prospect of hostile action.”

U.S. Army Reconnaissance Aircraft Crashes In Iraq
U.S. Army EMARSS-M prototype during flight test. (U.S. Army Photo)

Footage taken at the scene showed little damage to the twin-engine Beechcraft King Air, as it appears to have slid on its fuselage, warping the propellers and snapping one of the wings. Local reports from the Kurdish news organization Rudaw said the aircraft crashed near the town of Kawrgosk — roughly six miles from Irbil’s international airport. According to Rudaw, the crash site was secured by U.S. military personnel, and the passengers were evacuated by helicopter. Pictures posted to social media show the downed aircraft surrounded by what appears to be well-armed special operations forces.

The same images show that the aircraft has the tail number N6351V. According to an online FAA registry, the number is registered to the U.S. Army. Users on Twitter also traced the tail number to a document posted online showing that the tail number, and subsequently the aircraft, is based out of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., and is outfitted with the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, or EMARSS.

The article in its entirety can be viewed at the Washington Post right here.

(Featured photo courtesy of Washington Post)