Balad | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Balad Airport while completing a local mission. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Cessna AC-208B Combat Caravan in Hawijah: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 2016

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Operator:

Registration:

YI-119

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Balad - Balad

MSN:

208B-1309

YOM:

2008

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Balad AFB on an exercice with three crew members on board. While flying at low height, it was shot down by a 57 mm antiaircraft gunfire. Out of control, it dove into the ground and crashed in Hawijah, some 160 km north of Balad AFB. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by antiaircraft gunfire.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B-100 in Balad: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 2007 at 0702 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

ER-26068

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Adana – Balad

MSN:

113 08

YOM:

1981

Location:

Balad

Salāh ad-Dīn (صلاح الدين)

Country:

Iraq

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a charter flight from Adana, Turkey, to Balad AFB (located 70 km north of Baghdad), carrying 30 workers coming from Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, on behalf of the Turkish Company Kulak specialized in reconstruction projects. The aircraft departed Adana Airport at 0600LT for a 90 minutes flight. On approach, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, while attempting a second approach, the aircraft descended too low and crashed 2,5 km short of runway, bursting into flames. A passenger was seriously injured while 34 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident and the exact position of the aircraft during the last segment could not be determined with certainty as the FDR was not in the aircraft at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules near Baghdad: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 2005 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

XV179

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Baghdad - Balad

MSN:

4195

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

24200

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing, according to the RAF, an administrative flight from Baghdad to Balad, an Air Base located 65 km northwest of Baghdad. While climbing, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed near Al Taji, about 30 km northwest of Baghdad. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The Board concluded that XV179 crashed because the ac became uncontrollable after hostile action caused the explosive separation of the outboard 23 feet of the right-hand wing. Furthermore the Board conclude that the explosive separation could have been caused solely by [blanked out] or a combination of [blanked out] and another [blanked out] impacting the wing in the vicinity of the separation boundary.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Flying at low level and in daylight made the ac vulnerable to [blanked out],
- The lack of any fire retarding technology, either foam or inert gas, in the fuel tanks allowed an explosive fuel/air mix to develop in the ullage,
- The ACHQ did not have sight of Op [blanked out] tasking and this reduced their ability to provide relevant intelligence support,
- The SAFIRE reporting, collating and dissemination chain was not efficient enough to provide aircrew with the time-sensitive intelligence they need,
- The lack of a procedure to pass up-to-the-minute and relevant threat information to the C-130 left crew unaware of the recent SAFIRE site between BIAP and BSE.