Shkinder approached four contacts, identified them properly as Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters of the Imperial Iranian Air Force and got an order to attack.

Both missiles found their mark and struck the rearmost helicopter, the wreckage of which crashed near the village of Gjaurs, killing all eight crew members.

Turning around, he positioned his MiG-23M behind the damaged helicopter and opened fire with his GSh-23L 23 mm gun, spending a total of 72 rounds in two passes and hitting the starboard engine of the CH-47C.

Despite a severe loss of life for the IIAF, the incident was downplayed by both sides, and the Soviets subsequently permitted the damaged Chinook to be repaired by Iranians and flown back to Iran, together with all four crew members: Capt.

15 years before this incident at least another shootdown had occurred in which an Imperial Iranian Army Aviation (IIAA) Aero Commander 560 had been shot down by a Soviet MiG-17P.