The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a

turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...

-powered

STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that can takeoff/land on short runways. Many STOL-designed aircraft can operate on airstrips with harsh conditions (such as high altitude or ice). STOL aircraft, including tho ...

medium

cargo aircraft A cargo aircraft (also known as freight aircraft, freighter, airlifter or cargo jet) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft generally feature one or more large door ...

designed and built by Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). It is designed for use by both civil and military operators. The C-212 was developed during the 1960s in response to the

Spanish Air Force The Spanish Air and Space Force () is the aerial and space warfare branch of the Spanish Armed Forces. History Early stages Hot air balloons have been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Al ...

's need to replace much of its transport aircraft fleet; it was designed to perform numerous missions, including

air medical services Air medical services are the use of aircraft, including both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to provide various kinds of urgent medical care, especially prehospital, emergency and critical care to patients during Medical evacuation, aerome ...

, paratrooper transport, and utility roles. Three years after its

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...

on 26 March 1971, an order was secured from the

. Several other customers emerged, initially from the military sector; but interest from civilian airliners also led CASA to develop a dedicated civil version of the C-212. Production of the type at the

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

facility would continue for 40 years, with 485 aircraft produced there.

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

emerged as a key early customer for the C-212. In 1975, Indonesian aircraft company IPTN successfully secured the rights to license-produce the aircraft in Bandung, Indonesia. CASA assisted in the establishment of a production line there; by 2000, it had constructed 95 NC-212s. The majority of Indonesian-built aircraft were sold to domestic customers, although some exports were also recorded in the

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

n market. In February 2013, it was announced that

Airbus Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...

(the successor company to CASA) had agreed on terms with PTDI (IPTN's successor) to fully transfer production of the C-212 to Indonesia. For a time, PTDI produced both the NC-212-200 and -400 upgrade. In 2014, PTDI stopped producing the -400 series to focus on the improved NC-212i model. By December 2012, there were 92 operators of the C-212 around the world. These operators included numerous charter and short-haul aviation companies, as well as various national air services, which commonly used it for

transport Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...

surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...

, and

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

. The C-212 has been popular among

skydivers Parachuting and skydiving are methods of descending from a high point in an atmosphere to the ground or ocean surface with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or multiple parachutes. For hu ...

and

smokejumpers A smokejumper is a specially-trained Wildfire suppression, wildland firefighter who provides an initial attack response on remote wildfires. They are inserted at the site of the fire by parachute. This allows firefighters to access remote fire ...

due to a rear ramp arrangement that is uncommon amongst its competitors. In particular, Australian airline Skytraders has used a number of C-212s to support Australian scientific research teams across

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

and the

Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the world ocean, generally taken to be south of 60th parallel south, 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is the seco ...

Development

During the late 1960s, the

operated a number of outdated piston-engine transports, including the three-engine Junkers Ju 52 and two-engine

Douglas C-47 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...

. Seeking to fulfil the service's transport modernisation needs, Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) developed a proposed aircraft, designated ''C-212''. It was a twin-engine 18-seat transport aircraft capable of performing a variety of military roles, including passenger transport,

, and

paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...

roles, while also being suitable for use by civil operators.Simpson ''Air International'' January 2005, p. 32. On 26 March 1971, the first prototype conducted its

. In 1974, the Spanish Air Force decided to purchase the C-212, which had acquired the name ''Aviocar'', in order to update its fleet. Several airlines expressed interest in the C-212, particularly in light of its success with military operators; CASA thus decided to pursue development of a dedicated commercial version. In July 1975, the first examples of the civilian version were delivered. In 1997, the improved -400 model was introduced, featuring a

glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features an array of electronic (digital) flight instrument display device, displays, typically large liquid-crystal display, LCD screens, rather than traditional Analog device, analog dials and gauges ...

and more powerful

Honeywell TPE331 The Honeywell TPE331 (military designation: T76) is a turboprop engine. It was designed in the 1950s by Garrett AiResearch, and produced since 1999 by successor Honeywell Aerospace. The engine's power output ranges from . Design and developm ...

engines. In August 2006, a total of 30 CASA-built C-212s of all variants reportedly remained in airline service with various operators around the world. In July 2010, Airbus Military CEO Domingo Urena-Raso stated that the company could no longer afford to produce the C-212 in Europe. Production of the type at Airbus'

facility progressively slowed to only four aircraft in two years. In December 2012, the final Spanish-assembled C-212 was delivered to its customer, the Vietnam Coast Guard. By the time the line shut down, it had produced 477 aircraft for 92 operators.

Indonesian production

In 1975, Indonesian aircraft company IPTN successfully negotiated terms with CASA to produce up to 108 C-212s under license in Indonesia.Vértesy 2011, p. 226. Accordingly, IPTN and Nurtanio took part in the manufacture of the aircraft, with assembly taking place at IPTN's facility in Bandung, Indonesia. CASA provided technical assistance to set up the production line, sending a delegation of technicians to Bandung to train local personnel. The relative simplicity of the C-212's design was credited with aiding the process. Under the license terms, IPTN was permitted to sell the aircraft throughout the Asian market. But the majority of Indonesian-made NC-212s were sold to domestic customers; by 1986, only six aircraft had reportedly been exported. By 2000, a total of 95 NC-212s had been produced, though the type's production had become a secondary priority to other ventures such as the larger CASA/IPTN CN-235.Vértesy 2011, p. 227. IPTN also undertook development of more advanced versions of the aircraft.Vértesy 2011, p. 244. Between 2004 and 2008, all of the jigs and fixtures necessary to produce the NC212-400 were supplied by Airbus and installed at Bandung, enabling Indonesia to become the single-source manufacturer of this model. The licensing agreement was extended in 2006.Vértesy 2011, p. 236. In July 2011, Airbus announced a strategic agreement to collaborate with PTDI (IPTN's successor) on the C-212. Under the agreement, Airbus undertook an 18-month first phase of support to PTDI, after which it was to provide PTDI increasing high-value industrial activity, including C-212 upgrades and production transference. In February 2013, their arrangement was formally extended to transfer production of the C-212 to Indonesia. For a time, PTDI produced both the NC-212-200 and -400 upgrade, which were equipped with new digital

avionics Avionics (a portmanteau of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the ...

autopilot An autopilot is a system used to control the path of a vehicle without requiring constant manual control by a human operator. Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator's control of the vehicle, allow ...

, and a redesigned cabin that could accommodate up to 28 passengers. In 2014, PTDI stopped producing the -400 series to focus on the improved NC-212i model.

Design

The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a

-powered

-capable

. Its basic configuration includes a high-mounted wing, box-like fuselage, and conventional tail. The C-212 has been designed to operate in austere environments for extended periods without ground support apparatus. Features such as STOL performance and rugged

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...

fitted with low-pressure tyres enables it to operate from unpaved fields and under

hot-and-high In aviation, hot and high is a condition of low air density due to high ambient temperature and high airport elevation. Air density decreases with increasing temperature and altitude. The lower air density reduces the power output from an aircra ...

conditions. For greater simplicity, the aircraft's

tricycle undercarriage Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', that is arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has one or more nose wheels in a single front undercarriage and two or more main wheels slightly aft of th ...

is non-retractable. The C-212 cabin has a maximum occupancy of 21 to 28 passengers. In a paratroop configuration, up to 24 paratroopers along with one jumpmaster can be accommodated on foldable sidewall seats, while in a mixed configuration, it can transport up to ten soldiers and a single vehicle. Since the C-212 does not have a pressurized

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...

, it is limited to relatively low-flight-level airline use (below MSL), and is thus suited for short legs and regional airline services.

Operational history

CASA_212_SOF_Operation_Toy_Drop_Week_020

By 2013, 290 C-212s were reported to be flying in 40 countries; Indonesia had the most of the type, operating 70. It has seen especially wide employment as a commuter airliner and a military aircraft, with operators including numerous charter and short-haul aviation companies, as well as several national air forces. The C-212 is commonly used in

, and

roles. The C-212 has also been used by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, where it operates under the designation ''C-41A'' and is commonly used for troop infiltration and exfiltration, supply drops, and airborne operations. In August 2010, Airbus Military received a contract for the sustainment and modernisation of five C-212-200s operated by the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC). Additional aircraft were both owned and operated by private military contractor Blackwater; these were active during both the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

and

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...

, typically to conduct supply drops to US ground forces in remote areas there. During the conflict, the planes were piloted by former pilots from the 160th "Night Stalkers" Special Operations Regiment. One particularly ambitious use of the C-212 was undertaken by Australian airline Skytraders, which has used its fleet to support Australia’s scientific research assets across

and the

. Various operators have elected to operate their aircraft out of inhospitable terrain, such as

desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...

and

jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

s. The C-212's uncommon rear ramp arrangement is a unique selling point amongst competitors, and it has been a popular aircraft for

and

Variants

100 Series

;C-212A: Original military production version. Also known as C-212-5, C-212-5 series 100M, and by the Spanish Air Force as the T-12B and D-3A (for

medevac Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to patients requiring evacuation or transport using medically equipped air ambulances, helicopters an ...

aircraft), 129 built. ;C-212AV: VIP transport version, T-12C. ;C-212B: Six pre-production C-212As converted for photo-reconnaissance missions, TR-12A. ;C-212C: Original civil version. ;C-212D: Two pre-production C-212As converted for use as navigational trainers, TE-12B. ;NC-212-100: Manufactured under licence in Indonesia since 1976. IPTN produced 28 NC-212-100s before switching to NC-212-200s.

200 Series

Stretched version with updated engines (

Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...

TPE331-10R-511C or −512C, rated at 900 shp (671 kW) each), introduced in 1979. The CASA C-212-200 is also a popular skydiving aircraft, known for its large capacity, fast climbing, and large tailgate exit ramp. ;C-212 series 200M: Military version known as T-12D in the Spanish service and Tp 89 for the

Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...

. Specialised ASW and maritime patrol aircraft have been built from this version. ;NC-212-200: C-212-200 built under licence by IPTN. ;NC-212-200 MPA : C-212-200 built under licence by IPTN, designed as a

Maritime Patrol Aircraft A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, maritime surveillance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over ...

300 Series

Standard production version from 1987 on. Engines were

TPE331-10R-513C, also rated at continuous (925 shp maximum). The propellers were changed from four-bladed Hartzell composite blade propellers to four-bladed Dowty-Rotol all-metal propellers.

Winglets Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft ...

and a larger vertical stabilizer area provided improved performance, and the addition of a nose baggage compartment gave the nose a more streamlined look than the 200 series. Various systems were incrementally upgraded, including the addition of an integrated autopilot system. ;C-212-M series 300 (300M series): Military version. ;C-212 series 300 airliner: 26 seat regional airliner. ;C-212 series 300 utility: 23 seat civil utility version. ;C-212 series 300P: Civil utility version with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65 engines.

400 Series

Upgraded version with TPE331-12JR-701C engines, increased payload, and upgraded avionics moved from under the floor to the nose. First flew 4 April 1997, replacing 300 series in production from 1998.Jackson 2003, p. 445. The C-212-400 received Spanish certification in 1998. Between 2004 and 2008, production jigs and fixtures for the NC-212-400 were relocated to Bandung from San Pablo, Spain, and PTDI became the sole manufacturer of the NC-212 family. In 2014, NC-212-200 and NC-212-400 production ended and production was shifted to the improved NC-212i version.

NC-212i

Improved version of -400 series, using two

-12JR-701C turboprop engines, with a maximum output of . The rotor is the four-bladed Dowty Rotol R334/4-82-F/13

constant speed propeller Constant or The Constant may refer to: Mathematics * Constant (mathematics), a non-varying value * Mathematical constant, a special number that arises naturally in mathematics, such as or Other concepts * Control variable or scientific con ...

with a 2.75 m (110-inch) diameter. PAF NC212i 2119

On 3 November 2022, Indonesian Aerospace and MT Propeller signed the General Purchase Agreement (GPA) for the Procurement of five-blades MTV-27 Propellers for the NC-212i Aircraft. MTV-27 propellers are produced by MT Propeller, Germany and have been certified by

EASA The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Commission with responsibility for civil aviation safety in the European Union. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs inve ...

Operators

Civil operators

; *

Australian Antarctic Division The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) is a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water. The division undertakes science programs and research projects to contribute to an understanding of Antarctica and the S ...

; * B&H Airlines – former operator ; * Airmark Indonesia * Assessment and Application of Technology Research Organization (BPPT) * Airfast Indonesia * Bouraq Indonesia Airlines * Deraya Air Taxi * Dirgantara Air Service *

Indonesian National Police The Indonesian National Police (, abbreviated as POLRI) is the national law enforcement and police force of the Republic of Indonesia. Founded on 1 July 1946, it was formerly a part of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, country's military si ...

* Merpati Nusantara Airlines * Nusantara Buana Air (NBA) * Pelita Air * Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter – former operator * Susi Air – operating for Transwisata * Transwisata Prima Aviation ; * Sevenair - six former

Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...

aircraft bought in 2018 ; * Air Miami * Bar Harbor Airlines * Bighorn Airways * Boston-Maine Airways – operating code share service as

Pan Am Express Pan Am Express was a brand name for a code sharing passenger feed service operated by other airlines on behalf of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). It was founded in the early 1980s, and lasted until the demise of Pan Am in 1991. History In ...

on behalf of

Pan Am Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for ...

* Chaparral Airlines – operating code share service as American Eagle on behalf of

American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...

* CHI Aviation * Coastal Airlines * Evergreen International Airlines *

Executive Airlines Executive Airlines, Inc. was a Puerto Rican-based regional airline headquartered at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the main airport for the United States territory, near the capital of San Juan. The airline w ...

– operating code share service as American Eagle in the Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) on behalf of

* Fischer Brothers Aviation – operating code share service as

Northwest Airlink Northwest Airlink was the brand name of Northwest Airlines' regional airline service, which flew turboprop and regional jet aircraft from Northwest's domestic hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis. Service was primarily to small-to-medium- ...

on behalf of

Northwest Airlines Northwest Airlines (often abbreviated as NWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 until it Delta Air Lines–Northwest Airlines merger, merged with Delta Air Lines in 2010. The merger made Delta the largest airline ...

and also operating code share service as Allegheny Commuter * Gulf Air – operating code share service as Air Florida Commuter on behalf of Air Florida * Inland Empire Airways * Jet Express – operating code share service as

Trans World Express Trans World Express (TWE) was the fully owned and certified regional carrier for Trans World Airlines ( TWA) and an airline trademark name for TWA's corporation. * Trans World Express - The formerly independent regional airline known as Ransom ...

(TWE) on behalf of

Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles ...

( TWA) * Mountain Air Cargo *

North American Airlines North American Airlines, Inc., was an American airline with its headquarters at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia in Greater Atlanta, United States. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the U.S. to Afri ...

* Oceanair * Presidential Airways – Owned and operated by the private military contractor Blackwater * Prinair * U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration * Bering Air * Ryan Air Services

Military operators

; * Abu Dhabi Air Force – four delivered 1982Eastwood 1990, pp. 85–94. ; * Angolan Air Force - twelve aircraft ordered in 1985; eight delivered that same year, and the remaining four in 1986. Two aircraft operational as of December 2021. ; * Argentine Coast Guard – five delivered 1988–1990 * Argentine Army Aviation – Three C-212 ; *

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...

- Two Skytraders leased C-212-400 for ADF Parachuting School. ; *

Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force (BAF; or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft ( Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Condor II and Junkers ...

– one delivered 1989 *

Bolivian Army The Bolivian Army () is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. Figures on the size and composition of the Bolivian army vary considerably, with little official data available. It is estimated that the army has between 26,000 and 6 ...

Hoyle 2012, p. 46. ; * Bophuthatswana Air Force – one delivered 1985, to South African Air Force. ; * Botswana Defence Force Air Wing - three in service as of December 2021 ; * Chadian Air Force – two delivered in 1988 ; *

Chilean Air Force The Chilean Air Force () is the air force of Chile and branch of the Chilean military. History The first step towards the current FACh is taken by Lieutenant Colonel, Teniente Coronel training as a pilot in France. Although a local academy was c ...

– six delivered 1978, three in service as of 2015.Hoyle 2015, p. 35. * Chilean Army – former Spanish Air Force aircraft.Hoyle 2012, p. 48. C-212-100s being phased out and put up for sale. Two in service as of December 2015. *

Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy () is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense (Chile), Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso. History Ori ...

– four delivered 1978 ; * Colombian Aerospace Force - four in service as of December 2021 *

National Army of Colombia The National Army of Colombia () is the land warfare service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia. With over 361,420 active personnel as of 2020, it is the largest and oldest service branch in Colombia, and is the second largest army in the ...

- three in service as of December 2021 *

Colombian Navy The Colombian Navy, officially the Colombian National Navy (), also known as the ''"Armada Nacional"'' or just the ''"Armada"'' in Spanish, is the naval branch of the Military Forces of Colombia, military forces of Colombia. The Navy is responsi ...

Hoyle 2015, p. 36. * SATENA – nine delivered 1984–1989 ; * Djibouti Air ForceBarrie and Pite 1994, p. 39. ; * Dominican Republic Air Force - Received three CASA 212-400s between 2000–2001. All three remain in service as of December 2023 ; *

Ecuadorian Army The Ecuadorian Army () is the land component of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces. Its 25,650 active soldiers are deployed in relation to its military doctrine. The contemporary Ecuadorian Army incorporates many jungle and special forces infantry un ...

- one in service as of December 2021 ; * Equatorial Guinea Air Force ; *

French Air and Space Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air F ...

– five delivered 1988 ; *

Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( (TNI-AD), ) is the army, land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,400 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its roots in 1945 when the (TKR) "People's Se ...

- six in service as of December 2021 *

Indonesian Navy The Indonesian Navy (, TNI-AL) is the Navy, naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol Indonesia's lengthy coastline, to enforce and patrol the territorial waters and Exclus ...

- fourteen in service as of December 2021, with six in a

maritime patrol aircraft A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, maritime surveillance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over ...

configuration *

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

- ten aircraft in service as of December 2021, with eight currently on order. ; *

Royal Jordanian Air Force The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; Arabic: سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, ''Silāḥ al-Jaww al-Malakī al-ʾUrdunī'') is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces. Founded in 1955, the RJAF serves as the primary ...

– four delivered 1975–1976, with two attrition replacement aircraft delivered 1983–84 and a further, surveillance-configured example purchased in 1985. One operational 2015.Hoyle 2015, p. 41. ; *

Lesotho Defence Force The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Lesotho, Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution o ...

– 2 aircraft operational as of December 2021 ; * Air Wing of the Armed Forces of Malta – The Air Wing operated a single example in 2009.Hoyle 2010, p. 42. ; *

Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy () is one of the components of the Mexican Armed Forces. The Secretariat of the Navy is in charge of administration of the navy. The commander of the navy is the Secretary of the Navy, who is both a cabinet minister and a career ...

– 7 active as of December 2021 ; * Nicaraguan Air Force – four delivered 1977–1978 ; * National Aeronaval Service – six delivered 1982–1988. 3 aircraft operational as of December 2021 ; * Paraguayan Air Force – four C.212-200 delivered 1984 and one C.212–400 delivered in 2003.Hoyle 2012, p. 57. 3 aircraft operational as of December 2021 ; * Philippine Air Force - 2 units NC212i ordered in 2014 delivered in 2018. Both of them are operational as of December 2021. Six more NC-212is were ordered by the PAF on 13 April 2023, totalling eight aircraft. ; *

– 24 delivered between 1974 and 1976. Retired in 2011, replaced by EADS CASA C-295. ; * Senegalese Air Force - two C212

on order ; *

South African Air Force The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...

- two C212 operational as of December 2021 ; *

Spanish Air and Space Force The Spanish Air and Space Force () is the Aerial warfare, aerial and space warfare branch of the Spanish Armed Forces. History Early stages Hot air balloons have been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with th ...

– 80 delivered between 1974 and 1984, with eleven still operational as of December 2021 ; * Surinam Air Force – two delivered in 1999, one is a C.212-400MPA. Both sold to Botswana Defence Force via Fayard Enterprise iin 2014. ; *

Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy () is the maritime service branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet (), formally sometimes referred to as the Royal Navy () – as well as marine units, the Amph ...

– one delivered in 1986 ; *

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA (; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's sovereignty. The army was formed in 187 ...

- two operational as of December 2021 ; * Transkei Defence Force – two delivered in 1986; passed on to the South African Air Force. ; *

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

– as C-41A.Hoyle 2015, p. 51. *

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Hoyle 2015, p. 52. ; * Uruguayan Air Force – five delivered 1981–1982; all of them are still operational as of December 2021. ; * Venda Defence Force''Flight International'' 24–30 November 1993, p. 76. to South African Air Force. ; *

Venezuelan Navy The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (), commonly known as the Venezuelan Navy, is the navy, naval branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. The Venezuelan Navy serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of Venezuela, i ...

- five aircraft operational as of December 2021 ; *

Vietnam People's Air Force The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF; ), officially the Air Defence - Air Force Service (ADAF Service; ) or the Vietnam Air Force (), is the Aerial warfare, aerial, Anti-aircraft warfare, air and Space warfare, space defence service branch of ...

- three NC-212i has been commissioned by December 2021 * Vietnam Coast Guard – two C-212–400 ; * Air Force of Zimbabwe – nine operational as of December 2021

Incidents and accidents

As of September 2011, CASA C-212s have been involved in 71 hull-loss incidents with a total of 558 fatalities. 1978: On the Azores Island of Terceira an Aviocar crashed into the Santa Barbara Volcano killing all three military personal on board. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-casa-212-aviocar-100-terceira-island-3-killed ;2 January 1984: A Royal Jordanian Air Force CASA 212-A3 Aviocar 100 crashed near Al Qatrana, Jordan due to mechanical problems. All 13 people on board the plane were killed. ;4 March 1987: Northwest Airlink Flight 2268 crashed while landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in

Romulus, Michigan Romulus is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Romulus is a western suburb of Metro Detroit and is also considered part of the Dow ...

. Nine of the 19 passengers and crew on board were killed. ;8 May 1987: American Eagle Flight 5452 crashed while landing in Puerto Rico, killing two. ;2 August 1988: Operated by Geoterrex of

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

, Canada, the aircraft crashed on approach to Reykjavik, Iceland with the loss of all 3 people on board. The cause was that "the crew lost control of the aircraft, most probably because of large fluctuations in the power output of the right engine caused by the shift of an incorrectly installed speeder spring in the right propeller governor." ;1 December 1989: A U.S. Army C-212-200 crashed into the Patuxent River while trying to land at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, killing all five people on board. ;16 January 1990: SANSA Flight 32 crashed into the Cerro Cedral Mountain in

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

shortly after takeoff from Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose. All 20 passengers and three crew on board died in the crash. ;24 January 1990: A

C-212 crashed into a mountain due to poor weather, killing all 24 people on board. ;27 March 1990: An Angolan government C-212 was shot down by

UNITA The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Liberat ...

rebels near Cuito, killing all 25 people on board. ;7 June 1992: American Eagle Flight 5456, a CASA C-212 flying from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

crashed short of the runway in Mayagüez, killing both crew members and all three passengers. The investigation led to the discontinuation of use of the C-212 by American Eagle. ;8 March 1994: A Spanish Air Force C-212, part of the ''Ala'' 37 deployed in

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; or , archaically ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, where it straddles the Bacchiglione, River Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and e ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, was hit in the tail by an

SA-7 The 9K32 Strela-2 (; NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) is a light-weight, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile or MANPADS system. It is designed to target aircraft at low altitudes with passive infrared-homing guidance and destroy them with a ...

missile, allegedly fired by Serb rebels. This occurred east of

Rijeka Rijeka (; Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman dialect, Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Ba ...

while ferrying

UNPROFOR The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR; also known by its French acronym FORPRONU: ''Force de Protection des Nations Unies'') was the first United Nations peacekeeping force in Croatia and in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and ...

personnel from

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

. The tail control surfaces were damaged, the left engine failed and four passengers were injured by splinters. The crew managed to land the aircraft at Rijeka Airport. Spanish technicians were able to repair the damage and had the aircraft back in service within 48 hours. ;27 August 1994: A DEA-operated aircraft (reg. N119CA) crashed into a mountain (or at the end of a box canyon) north of Puerto Pizana in the Amazonian jungle department of San Martín,

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

. The crash occurred while flying from Santa Lucia to

Pucallpa Pucallpa (, ; Shipibo language, Shipibo: ''May Ushin'') is a city in eastern Peru located on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Ucayali region, the Coronel Portillo Province and the C ...

in the Huallaga River Valley region, and killed the CASA's five occupants, all DEA Special Agents. The accident reportedly took place under bad weather and low-visibility conditions during a counter-narcotics reconnaissance operation. The accident precipitated the end of Operation Snowcap, under which the ill-fated flight took place. ;17 June 1995: An Angolan Air Force C-212 carrying members of a local football club crashed while on approach to Catumbela Airport, killing 48 of the 53 people aboard. ;27 November 2004: " Blackwater 61" Presidential Airways CASA C-212-200 (registration N960BW / serial number 231) was contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense to supply American forces deployed in remote areas of Afghanistan. The aircraft entered a box canyon and struck the level of Baba Mountain, which has a peak elevation of . The flight was about north of the typical route between Bagram and Farah. ;22 February 2005: An

C-212 experienced engine trouble during landing, causing it to crash into the sea. Of the 18 police officers on board, 15 were killed. ;26 October 2006:

Swedish Coast Guard The Swedish Coast Guard () is a Sweden, Swedish civilian Government agencies in Sweden, government agency tasked with: * maritime surveillance and other control and inspection tasks as well as environmental cleanup after oil spills at sea. * co-o ...

CASA C-212-200 (registration SE-IVF / serial number KBV 585) crashed in the Falsterbo Canal during a surveillance mission, killing all four on board. Eyewitness accounts suggested the accident was caused by the right wing somehow detaching. The Swedish Accident Investigation Board's preliminary report suggested that the wing detached due to a fatigue crack which had developed in its load-bearing structure. ;15 November 2006:

CASA 212-200 Maritime Patrol (serial number AMP-114) crashed in the sea on the

Campeche Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...

coast over the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

during a surveillance mission. All crew members survived; the cause of the accident is still unknown."SEMAR aircraft crashed in Mexican Gulf" .
''SEMAR''. Retrieved: 21 April 2012. ;26 June 2008: Indonesian Military CASA C-212 was flying from the Jakarta to Bogor, carrying 12 military personnel and six civilians, and was due to test a digital mapping camera, but it disappeared in the Salak Mountain region, about south of the capital. An air force spokesman said the aircraft was assumed to have crashed. ;9 October 2009: Uruguayan Air Force CASA C-212 FAU-531,"Recent accidents."
''Planecrashinfo''. Retrieved: 10 October 2009. operated as part of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti, crashed west of Fonds-Verettes, killing all 11 on board. ;19 June 2010: A Cameroon Aéro-Service CASA C-212 chartered by Sundance Resources crashed in dense jungle after departing Cameroon for the Congo, killing all 11 people on board, including Australian mining magnate Ken Talbot and Sundance personnel: Chairman Geoff Wedlock, Chief Executive Officer Don Lewis, company secretary John Carr-Gregg and non-executive directors John Jones and Craig Oliver. At the time of the accident, Talbot was a director of Sundance and its largest shareholder. ;12 February 2011: Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter CASA C-212, PK-ZAI, carrying five crew, crashed after takeoff from Batam,

, during a test flight following engine maintenance. All five crew members were killed. ;1 April 2011: FUGRO Aviation Canada Limited CASA C-212, C-FDKM, carrying three crew, crashed while attempting to land at Saskatoon Airport,

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

, Canada, after declaring an emergency with an engine failure. The aircraft crashed on Wanuskewin Drive in Saskatoon and hit a concrete barrier, resulting in one death and two injuries aboard. ;2 September 2011: A

CASA C-212, carrying 21 people, crashed from Chile's Pacific coastline in the

Juan Fernández Islands The Juan Fernández Islands () are a sparsely inhabited series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, reliant on tourism and fishing. Situated off the coast of Chile, they are composed of three main volcanic islands: Robinson Crusoe Island, R ...

, with no survivors. Felipe Camiroaga, a highly popular Chilean TV presenter, was one of the passengers, along with businessman Felipe Cubillos, who had been working on post-earthquake reconstruction efforts. ;29 September 2011: An Indonesian Aerospace CASA C-212 (registration PK-TLF, built in 1989) was carrying 18 people from

Medan Medan ( , ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of North Sumatra. The nearby Strait of Malacca, Port of Belawan, and Kualanamu International Airport make Medan a regional hub and multi ...

North Sumatra North Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It borders Aceh to the northwest, Riau to the sou ...

to Kutacane,

Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...

. Operated by Nusantara Buana Air, the aircraft crashed into Gunung Kapur, a mountain in the Bukit Barisan range, near the village of

Bukit Lawang Bukit Lawang is a small tourist village on the bank of Bahorok River in North Sumatra province of Indonesia. Situated approximately 86 km northwest of the city of Medan, Bukit Lawang is known for the largest animal sanctuary of Sumatran or ...

, Bohorok District. There were no survivors among the 14 passengers, three crew and pilot. The accident occurred between 07:28 and 08:05 local time, approximately 58 km (36 miles) northwest of

, North Sumatra. ;16 June 2016: A Vietnam Coast Guard CASA C-212-400 from Gia Lam Airport en route to the

Gulf of Tonkin The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin ( northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern co ...

crashed during a search for a Su-30MK2 and its pilots downed a few days before. All nine C-212 crew members were lost. The crash site was initially reported to be located south-southwest of

Bach Long Vi Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

Island. By 18 June 2016, some debris had been found, but there was no sign of the crew. The Vietnamese Coast Guard and

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

announced that the airframe and black box had been found southwest of

, only 5 nm from the Vietnamese-Chinese border on the gulf. ;9 February 2017: A

Botswana Defence Force The Botswana Defence Force (BDF, ) is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 ...

CASA C-212 crashed in the vicinity of Thebephatshwa village in the evening, minutes after leaving Thebephatshwa Air Base. All three people aboard died in the crash. The aircraft was on its way to the capital,

Gaborone Gaborone ( , , ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Botswana, largest city of Botswana, with a population of 246,325 based on the 2022 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its metropolitan area is home to 534, ...

, away. ;29 July 2022:The pilot of a CASA C-212 experienced a runway excursion on touchdown, ending up on the grass infield of Raleigh–Durham International Airport in North Carolina after the loss of the right landing gear wheel incurred during an earlier hard landing. The crew had attempted to land at another site near Raeford after flying skydivers when it made the hard landing, then diverted to Raleigh-Durham due to its longer runway. En route to the airport, the pilot reported that the copilot had jumped from the aircraft's rear ramp at without a parachute. The body of the 23-year old male flight crewmember, who had taken an unregulated herbal supplement, was found in a residential area later that evening.

Specifications (Series 400)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* Barrie, Douglas and Jenny Pite. "World's Air Forces". ''Flight International,'' Vol. 146, No. 4435, 24– 30 August 1994, pp. 29–64. * Eastwood, Tony and John Roach. ''Turbo Prop Airliner Production List.'' London: The Aviation Hobby Shop, 1990. . * * Hoyle, Craig. "Directory: World Air Forces"
''Flight International''
Vol. 178, No. 5257, 14– 20 December 2010, pp. 26–53. * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International,'' Vol. 180, No. 5321, 13– 19 December 2011, pp. 26–52. * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International'', Vol. 182, No. 5370, 11– 17 December 2012. pp. 40–64. ISSN 0015-3710. * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International,'' Vol. 188, No. 5517, 8–14 December 2015. pp. 26–53. * * Jackson, Paul. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004.'' Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. . * Jackson, Paul. "Royal Jordanian Air Force: Air Power at Three-continent Crossroads". ''

Air International ''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd. History and profile The magazine was fir ...

'', Vol. 33, No. 5, November 1987, pp. 215–223. . * * Simpson, Rod. "CASA C-212 Aviocar: A Plane For All Seasons". ''Air International'', Vol. 68, No. 1, January 2005, pp. 32–38. . * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89.'' Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data, 1988. . * Vértesy D
"Interrupted Innovation: Emerging economies in the structure of the global aerospace industry."
Datawyse / Universitaire Pers Maastricht. 1 January 2011. https://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20110930dv. * "World's Air Forces". ''Flight International,'' Vol. 144, No. 4397, November 1993, pp. 41–76. 24–30.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:CASA C-212 Aviocar CASA aircraft 1970s Spanish civil utility aircraft 1970s Spanish military transport aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1971 Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft High-wing aircraft Indonesia–Spain relations

Development

Indonesian production

Design

Operational history

Variants

100 Series

200 Series

300 Series

400 Series

NC-212i

Operators

Civil operators

Military operators

Incidents and accidents

Specifications (Series 400)

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links