| Conflict: | 1957 United States Air Force incursion into Albanian airspace |
| Partof: | The Cold War |
| Date: | December 23, 1957 |
| Place: | Rinas, Albania |
| Coordinates: | 40.0737°N 20.1401°W |
| Result: | American pilot arrested but later released |
| Combatant1: |  Albania |
| Combatant2: |  United States |
| Commander1: | Anastas Ngjela |
| Commander2: | / Howard J. Curran |
| Units1: | Air Force of the Albanian People's Army |
| Units2: | United States Air Force |
| Strength1: | 2 MiG-15 |
| Strength2: | 1 Lockheed T-33 |
| Casualties1: | None |
| Casualties2: | 1 T-33 captured |
The 1957 United States Air Force incursion into Albanian airspace, was a Cold War incident.[1] [2] [3]
On December 23, 1957, an American T-33 fighter jet violated Albanian airspace.[4] Two MiG-15 aircraft took off from Kuçova Air Base, piloted by Anastas Ngjela and Mahmut Hysa.[5] [6]
The American fighter jet was surrounded and forced to land on the unfinished runway at Rinas Airport.[7] [8] The plane was impounded and the American pilot Major Howard J. Curran was arrested.[9] Curran was released on January 11, 1958, while the plane was placed in the Gjirokastra castle museum.