El Adem

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings

MSN:

1011

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

While descending to El Adem, the crew was informed about weather conditions at destination and ATC suggested the captain to divert to another airport due to low visibility. In agreement with the rest of the crew, the captain decided to attempt an approach when on final, the copilot suggested him to go around. For unknown reason, the captain continued the approach and passed below the decision height when the aircraft struck the ground about 500 meters short of runway 27/09 threshold. Two crew members were seriously injured while five others occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong decision on part of the captain who decided to continue the approach in below minima weather conditions and failed to go around. Poor weather conditions were considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.2 in El Adem: 17 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

WD498

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings

Schedule:

El Adem – Luqa

MSN:

126

YOM:

1951

Location:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a flight from El Adem to Luqa, Malta, carrying 34 members of the Maltese Artillery Contingent and 3 crew members of the 70th Squadron. Shortly after rotation, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and banked right. Immediately, the captain elected to regain control but the airplane struck the runway surface, rotated 90° and eventually crashed and burst into flames. A crew member and 16 passengers were killed while 20 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Investigations determined that the loss of control that occurred shortly after takeoff was caused by the movement of the safety catch located on the rails of the copilot's seat that dislodged. This caused the seat to slid on its rails back to the stop. As a result, the copilot involuntarily pull the control column, causing the aircraft to nose up and to stall due to an excessive angle of attack. It was determined that the copilot was flying when control was lost after rotation, which was non compliant as he did not have a licence allowing him to perform a takeoff with passengers on board.

Crash of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 near El Adem

Date & Time: May 28, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.66 Pembroke

Operator:

Registration:

XK859

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

0071

YOM:

1956

Location:

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Circumstances:

Ran out of fuel, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. Crash landed on a road located 16 km northwest of El Adem Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned in situ.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C1 in Benina: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

TG574

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

El Adem – Tripoli

MSN:

YOM:

1949

Location:

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Circumstances:

While cruising at the assigned altitude of 8,500 feet, a propeller blade on the engine number two separated and penetrated the fuselage, killing the copilot who was sitting in the crew room. The captain informed ground and decided to divert to Benina Airport. Few minutes later, the engine number two detached from its mount and hit the elevator, causing the aircraft to be difficult to control. On final approach to Benina, the aircraft was rolling left to right, stalled and crashed in flames upside down few dozen yards from the runway threshold. Five crew members, among them the captain, were killed, while 29 other occupants were evacuated, some of them slightly injured.

Probable cause:

Loss of a propeller blade and separation of the engine number two in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Marsa Matruh: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

349050

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

El Adem – Nicosia – Saigon

MSN:

14866/26311

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

While flying along the Egyptian coast, en route to Saigon via Nicosia, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. The pilot decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed near Marsa Matruh, killing all nine crew members registered to the Touraine Group.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in El Adem

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGIY

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12102

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on landing. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK Dakota C.3 in El Adem: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KG598

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

El Adem - El Adem

MSN:

13329

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight at El Adem Airport. On final approach, according to the training program, the instructor abandoned the landing procedure and attempted a go around when the aircraft stalled and crashed short of the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all six crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It appears that the aircraft stalled at a critical stage of flight when the crew inadvertently raised the flaps instead of the landing gear while they were attempting a go around procedure. Due to the loss of lift, the aircraft stalled and crashed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK Dakota C.4 in El Adem

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KN698

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

16666/33414

YOM:

1945

Location:

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Circumstances:

Two minutes after its night takeoff from El Adem Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and burnt, 4 km northwest of the airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Zāwiyat Masūs: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 130 Bombay

Operator:

Registration:

L5811

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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