Baghdad | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Marseille to Baghdad, while cruising at night, the crew encountered poor visibility due to a sand storm. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a desert area located some 130 km from Ruţbah Wells. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all seven occupants evacuated safely.

Crash of a Farman F.190 in Tell-Farida: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Farman F.190

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJDP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Damascus – Baghdad – Karachi

MSN:

7135

YOM:

1929

Location:

Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)

Al-Anbar (الأنبار)

Country:

Iraq

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Damascus to Baghdad, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sandstorm. The pilot lost his orientation when the airplane impacted ground and crashed near Tell-Farida, in the region of Ruţbah Wells, some 300 km west of Baghdad. The aircraft came to rest upside down and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed. The crew and passenger were performing a special flight on behalf of The League of Nations (Société des Nations). The passenger was the Swiss Colonel de Reynier who was in charge to fix the border between Syria and Iraq.
Crew:
Julien Risser, pilot,
Mr. Huber, mechanic.
Passenger:
Colonel de Reynier.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain while flying in a sandstorm.

Crash of a Farman F.303 in Syria

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Farman F.303

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJIG

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Baghdad – Damascus

MSN:

7155.1

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Baghdad to Damascus, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing in the Syrian Desert. While all occupants were unhurt and quickly rescued, the aircraft was probably damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Crash of a Fokker F7b/3m in Baghdad: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1928

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F7

Operator:

Polish Government

Registration:

P-PAAA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dęblin – Baghdad

MSN:

5057

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a flight from Poland to Iraq on behalf of the Polish Ministry of Communications. On final approach to Baghdad, the aircraft hit a sand dune, overturned and came to rest upside down. A crew member was killed while both others were injured.

Probable cause:

It appears that the crew was approaching the wrong field and that his action was inadequate. Poor visibility seems to be a contributory factor.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in El Salloum

Date & Time: May 17, 1928

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Henry C. MacDonald

Registration:

G-EBVX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Baghdad - Stag Lane

MSN:

538

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot Henry C. MacDonald (owner of the aircraft) completed last month a flight from Stag Lane to Baghdad. He was on his return trip to London when cruising along the egyptian coast, he encountered engine problems and decided to make an emergency landing on a beach near El Salloum. While the pilot was unhurt, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Breguet 19 Grand Raid in Hinterzarten: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1925

Type of aircraft:

Breguet 19

Operator:

Registration:

F-AHDP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Etempes - Baghdad

MSN:

YOM:

1925

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Both French aviators Robert Thiéry and Dieudonné Costes departed Étempes on 12SEP1925 for a nonstop flight to Baghdad to establish a new world record. While flying southeast of Freiburg im Breisgau, the aircraft went out of control and crashed for unknown reason in the Hollenbach River located near Hinterzarten. Few minutes after the crash, Dieudonné Costes regained consciousness but was still in water with his both legs broken. He tried to rescue his friend Robert Thiéry but he was killed on impact.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9A in Al-Khidir

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1921

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.9

Operator:

Registration:

H81

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Basra - Baghdad

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On a flight from Basra to Baghdad, weather conditions deteriorared with poor visibility due to sandstorm. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed and came to rest upside down in a drainage ditch. Both occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/O H. W. Baggs.
Passenger:
Maj Gen W. E. Ironside.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9A in Baghdad

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1921

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.9

Operator:

Registration:

E9691

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Baghdad - Baghdad

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a local training flight in Baghdad. En route, the engine failed. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in the Tigre River, near the district of Karrada, in Baghdad. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.