Crash of a Tupolev TU-16 in Afula: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-16
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Habbaniyah - Habbaniyah
Location:
Afula
Northern District
Country:
Israel
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
On a mission against the Israeli air base of Ramat David when missed the target, bombed the town of Netanya instead (hitting the main street and injuring a number of civilians). Was shot down by 40 mm Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft guns of the Israeli Unit 881 while at low altitude and crashed into a military storage complex hidden within a pine forest located west of Afula. All 6 crew, among them Captain Hussein Mohammad Husseini, and 11 or 14 Israeli reservists on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Israel antiaircraft battery.

Ground accident of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 in Baghdad

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Percival P.66 Pembroke
Operator:
Registration:
WV699
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
0002
YOM:
1955
Location:
Baghdad
Baghdād (بغداد)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Habbaniya, the crew completed the approach and landing at Baghdad Airport and vacated the runway to join the apron. While on a taxiway, the undercarriage were mistakenly retracted by a crew member and the airplane sank on its belly. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Error on part of a crew member who mistakenly retracted the undercarriage during taxi.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 near Aqaba: 27 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1957 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
VW832
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Aqaba – Habbaniya
MSN:
393
YOM:
30
Location:
Aqaba
Aqaba
Country:
Jordan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Aqaba to Habbaniya, taking part to an evacuation mission of the British troops from Jordan. Seven minutes after its takeoff from Aqaba Airport, the airplane banked left, went into a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a desert area located about 40 km northeast of Aqaba Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 27 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the failure of the port main spar of the outer wing which had resulted in the disintegration of the wing round the fracture and damage to the rear fuselage and tail. The board also said it found that spar failure was due to over-stressing and they suggested this was due to the extreme air turbulence which was known to have existed in the area at the time. The board said they had found no sign of a fatigue failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 into the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings
Operator:
Registration:
TG613
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tripoli – Habbaniya
MSN:
91
YOM:
1949
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way to Habbaniya and departed Tripoli-Idris Airport with few passengers and a crew of six on board. About 90 minutes into the flight, three engines failed simultaneously. The pilot reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft 224 km off Benghazi. All occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the triple engine failure was caused by an technical issue on the hydraulic system.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota C.4 in Habbaniya AFB

Date & Time: May 3, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN543
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16399/33147
YOM:
1945
Location:
Habbaniyah AFB
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Habbaniya AFB, both engines stopped simultaneously. The aircraft stalled and crashed few hundred yards short of runway threshold. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Karachi

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
DG471
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Karachi – Habbaniya
MSN:
1244
YOM:
1934
Location:
Faisal AFB (Mehran NAS) (ex RAF Drigh Road) (Karachi)
Sindh (سنڌ سندھ)
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking off from Karachi-Drigh Road Airport. Both crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Mike Vlasto, pilot,
Mehar Singh, radio operator.
Probable cause:
The airplane was overloaded.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Baghdad

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
L4650
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Habbaniyah – Baghdad
MSN:
117
YOM:
1938
Location:
Baghdad
Baghdād (بغداد)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon touchdown at Baghdad Airport, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane slid on runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest. Both crew members were uninjured.
Probable cause:
The right main gear collapsed because it failed to lockdown.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at Habbaniya AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
L4649
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Habbaniyah - Habbaniyah
MSN:
116
YOM:
1938
Location:
Habbaniyah AFB
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Habbaniya AFB. After takeoff, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed. A crew was seriously injured and two others were killed. The next day, the only survivor died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
W/O John Osmotherley Barnes,
Cpl Edward James Myers,
LAC William Faulds McLeod.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at Habbaniya AFB

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
L4659
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Habbaniyah - Habbaniyah
MSN:
126
YOM:
1938
Location:
Habbaniyah AFB
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Habbaniya AFB on behalf of 4th FTS. Shortly after touchdown, a tyre burst. The aircraft swerved, veered off runway and came to rest. Both occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of control upon landing after a tyre burst.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near RAF Habbaniya: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
K7097
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
MSN:
8050
YOM:
1937
Location:
Habbaniyah AFB
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a desert area located about 100 km southwest of Habbaniya. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/Ldr Percy Kinsey, pilot,
Sgt Vernon Walter Garside killed, pilot,
AC1 Reginald Walter Carpenter,
AC1 Lewis William Cooper,
AC1 Frederick Oscar Gamble,
Capt John Barnett Harvey.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a loss of control caused by a carburetor icing.
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