Iraq | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On approach to Talil AFB, the crew was forced to shut down one of the engines due to the failure of the engine control system. As the nose gear could not be lowered, the crew initiated a go-around. As the main gears could not be retracted, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an unpaved area of the airfield and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 501 Citation I/SP near Sulaymānīyah: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 2006 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 501 Citation I

Operator:

Registration:

D-IMRX

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Munich - Budapest - Baku - Sulaymānīyah

MSN:

501-0688

YOM:

1985

Location:

Sulaymānīyah

As-Sulaymāniyyah (السليمانية)

Country:

Iraq

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a business flight from Baku to Sulaymānīyah with 5 passengers and one pilot on board. It departed Munich to Baku via Budapest on February 14. As it descended through the altitude of 8,000 feet, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens and crashed near Buschin, few dozen km from Sulaymānīyah Airport. The wreckage was found on February 19 in a snow covered and hilly terrain. All 6 occupants were killed, among them 4 German businessmen, one pilot and one translator. The aircraft was owned by the German Company Hasit Trockenmörtel, specialised in building reconstruction.

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.

Crash of a Lockheed MC-130H Hercules at Qayyarah Airfield West AFB

Date & Time: Dec 29, 2004

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

85-0012

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

5054

YOM:

1985

Location:

Qayyarah Airfield West AFB

Nīnawā (Nineveh) (نينوى)

Country:

Iraq

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The MC-130H Hercules plane was on a nighttime logistics transport mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. US operated airfield in northern Iraq, reportedly Qayyarah Airfield West, a trench was being dug in the runway 33. The construction works, approx. 2700 feet from the southern end of the runway were not marked nor NOTAMed. On landing, at a speed of 80 knots, the Hercules plane ran into the construction works. The nose gear and forward undercarriage were sheared off and the left wing separated just outside the no. 2 engine. The aircraft then caught fire. The crew members egressed safely, but the four passengers required assistance from ground personnel and aircrew.

Probable cause:

The Board President determined the causes of the accident are:
1) A failure on the part of the mishap site Assistant S-3 (Battle Captain[s]) to disseminate timely Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) information via the appropriate channels,
2) the failure of the Army project manager for construction at the mishap site to ensure the construction was properly marked and
3) a failure of the NOTAM reporting system to include oversight and supervision of the NOTAM processes, within the area of responsibility (AOR).
Contributing factors in this mishap include:
1) a lack of training on the part of the U.S. Army to effectively prepare their personnel for combat zone airfield management and operations, and
2) the failure of the Garrison Commander at the mishap location to assume responsibility for ensuring safe flight operations at the airfield.
The Board President also determined there were numerous opportunities for airfield construction information to flow to the aircrew, but in each case the information was not properly disseminated prior to the aircrew departing for their scheduled mission.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24TV in An-Nasiriya

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

YI-ALN

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

102 2 8 10

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, control was lost after an undercarriage collapsed. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24V in Iraq

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

YI-AEO

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

87304602

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to an airport somewhere in Iraq, one of the wing dropped and struck the ground. The aircraft crash landed short of runway. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76T near Baghdad: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-76

Operator:

Registration:

YI-AIO

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Paris - Baghdad

MSN:

00734 10315

YOM:

1987

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful cargo flight from Paris-Orly Airport, the crew started the descent to Baghdad Airport when the airplane was shot down by the pilot of an Iranian Air Force Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter. Out of control, the airplane crashed in a huge explosion, killing all 4 occupants.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an Iranian Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 735 Viscount in Mosul

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

YI-ACL

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Baghdad - Mosul

MSN:

YOM:

1955

Location:

Mosul

Nīnawā (Nineveh) (نينوى)

Country:

Iraq

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

24498

Aircraft flight cycles:

14649

Circumstances:

While descending to Mosul, the crew encountered technical problems with the fuel supply system and declared an emergency. In a certain confusion, the pilots did not follow the approach checklist and failed to lower the undercarriage. The airplane landed on its belly and slid for dozen meters before coming to rest. While all 33 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Improper operation of the fuel system followed by failure to extend the undercarriage.