KANOYA, Kagoshima Pref. -- A Maritime Self-Defense Force OH-6D trainer helicopter turned over on its side Tuesday during student-training drills at the MSDF's Kanoya Air Base here, injuring a lieutenant commander, MSDF officials said.
According to the MSDF, the accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. during touch-and-go exercises. The OH-6D chopper had been taxiing above a point about 150 meters west of a helicopter spot inside the base.
Lieut. Commander Yukio Sugihara, 47, who was instructing a 21-year-old second class petty officer in the chopper, sustained a slight injury to his left elbow. The student officer was not hurt, they said. The weather was reportedly fair at the time of the accident.