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All Libya

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Libya

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1982
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Libyan Government
Registration:
5A-DCW
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
639
YOM:
1979
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident somewhere in Libya in 1982. Exact date unknown. The aircraft was operated by the Libyan Ministry for Agriculture.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Libya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
HB-FCW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
638
YOM:
1967
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While taking off from an airstrip located somewhere in the Libyan Desert, the single engine aircraft crashed and burst into flames. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. Owned by Pilatus, the airplane was operated for Air Libya.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2B in Libya

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1964
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Libyan Aviation Company
Registration:
G-ANGE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
04167
YOM:
1953
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at the Oil Station n° 12, somewhere in Libya, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Scottish Twin Pioneer 1 in Fezzan: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Operator:
Registration:
G-AOEO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Wadi al Ashtan – Tripoli
MSN:
503
YOM:
1956
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
564
Circumstances:
On 7 December the aircraft flew down to Fezzan from Idris Airport to the Esso (Petroleum Ltd.) camp at Wadi al Atshan - a flight of some 400 miles. From Atshan it made one local flight of 45 minutes duration. The aircraft was then refuelled at Atshan and set off at 1427LT for the return journey to Idris Airport where it was expected to arrive at 1800LT with 2 crew and 4 passengers aboard. When the aircraft failed to arrive, a series of radio checks were carried out followed by a widespread air and surface search. The wreckage was sighted the next day. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident Was the result of the failure in fatigue of the forward tube of the "V brace" structure in the outer panel of the port wing. This failure led to the breaking away of the outer panel of the port wing from the aircraft in flight. The aircraft was then rendered completely uncontrollable and dived vertically to the ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator in Libya: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-24301
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Soluch - Soluch
MSN:
1096
YOM:
1943
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Following a bombing mission over Naples, Italy, the aircraft failed to return to its base in Soluch, Libya. During the back trip, the crew radioed he lost his automatic direction finder and requested ground vector. Due to poor visibility, the crew overflew Soluch Airport and continued to the south. Two hours later, due to fuel exhaustion, the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The four-engine aircraft continued for 26 km to the south before crashing in the Calanshio Sand Sea, about 710 km southeast of Soluch. USAF authorities thought that the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea and the SAR operations were unable to find any trace of the aircraft or the crew. On November 9, 1958, a British oil exploration team located the crash site for the first time. Five bodies were found in May 1960 dozen km away from the wreckage.
Probable cause:
According to the Graves Registration Service, the aircraft flew on a 150 degree course toward Benina Airfield (Soluch Airport). The craft radioed for a directional reading from the HF/DF station at Benina and received a reading of 330 degrees from Benina. The actions of the pilot in flying 440 miles into the desert, however, indicate the navigator probably took a reciprocal reading off the back of the radio directional loop antenna from a position beyond and south of Benina but on course. The pilot flew into the desert, thinking he was still over the Mediterranean and on his way to Benina.

Crash of a Boeing B-17C Flying Fortress in Libya

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
AN529
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Shallufa - Shallufa
MSN:
2066
YOM:
1940
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Shallufa to attack ships in the Benghazi harbor. Following a successful mission, the crew was returning to base when the aircraft ran out of fuel. After the engines n°1, 2 and 3 failed, the captain reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a desert area located 128 km west of Fort Maddalena. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all eight crew members escaped uninjured and were later rescued by a ground unit.
Crew (220th Squadron):
Jimmy Stevenson, pilot,
Ken Brailsford, pilot,
Dick Parnell,
Tony Barwood,
Tom Gwynn,
Ken Waddle,
Bill Struthers,
Colin Barber.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Libya: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1941 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
L2166
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The floatplane and its crew was dropping depth charges when it was shot down by enemy fire coming from the Italian submarine named 'Delfino'. It went out of control and crashed into the sea some 22 km off the Libyan coast. Four crew members were rescued and eight others were killed.
Crew (230th Squadron):
F/Lt Engert Brand, pilot,
P/O Ernest Edward Dennis, pilot,
F/O Raymond Edward Packington, pilot, †
F/O Robert Miles East, observer, †
F/Sgt Robert Horsburgh, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt George Cyril Starkey, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Ivor Mell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Murray White, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stephen Edward Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Edward Shoosmith, air gunner, †
Sgt W. H. Yates, air gunner,
LAC Geoffrey Elliot Cooper, radio operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Libya: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
L7846
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Shallufa - Shallufa
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Shallufa Airfield on an operation to Benghazi. It failed to return to base and probably crashed in a desert area located at the border between Libya and Egypt. No trace was found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Rowland Atkin,
Sgt Christopher Timothy Fletcher,
Sgt Dorian Allison Hinde,
F/Sgt James Hood,
Sgt Kenneth Naylor,
Sgt Jack Vickery Rowe.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero in Libya: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1941 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
MM23881
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Berka - Berka
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Berka AFB near Benghazi to attack ships in the area of Crete. While returning to base in the evening, the pilot got lost and the airplane continued to the south before it crashed in a desert area, some 500 km southeast of Berka. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Libya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 130 Bombay
Operator:
Registration:
L5850
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
MSN:
SH.43
YOM:
1939
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Libyan desert while on its way to el-Gubba, east of Tobruk. W/O N. P. Donnelly survived and became a PoW while four other occupants were killed.
Crew (216th Squadron):
F/S Benjamin T. M. Baker, pilot, †
F/L John B. W. Smith, pilot, †
LAC Alfred F. Crohill, †
Cpl William C. Royle, wireless operator and air gunner, †
W/O N. P. Donnelly.

Special thanks to Nigel Hartley for his testimony.
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