Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK near Jakharrad

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SBH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
11979
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a desert area located 155 km east of Jakharrad. All 17 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy C.1 in Got El Afrag: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
XR133
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Al Adam - Got El Afrag
MSN:
6788
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While approaching Got El Afrag Airstrip, the crew request the permission to complete a low pass to confirm if the landing gear were down. At low height, the pilot made a turn to the right when the right wing struck the ground, causing the aircraft to crash and burn. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged the distance with the ground.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 in El Adem

Date & Time: May 4, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
TG575
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
66
YOM:
1949
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The right main gear collapsed on landing. The airplane came on its belly and the other undercarriage failed as well. The airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. There were no injuries and the fire was quickly contained but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right main gear on landing.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor in Benghazi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1964 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N178L
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
AF-463
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3875
Captain / Total hours on type:
200.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Benghazi, the pilot encountered marginal weather conditions. Due to a sand storm, he attempted a go-around when control was lost. The airplane stalled and crashed near the runway threshold, killing both occupants.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2B in Libya

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-ANGE
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
04167
YOM:
1953
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at the Oil Station n° 12, somewhere in Libya, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Blackburn B-101 Beverley C.1 in El Adem: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XB268
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1011
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
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
Operator:
Registration:
WD498
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
El Adem – Luqa
MSN:
126
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
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 De Havilland U-1A off Benghazi: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1960 at 1538 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-2974
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Misrata - Benghazi
MSN:
47
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While overflying the Gulf of Sirte, the single engine aircraft crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. SAR operations were conducted over a large area but no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Vickers 748D Viscount in Benghazi: 36 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1958 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YNE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Salisbury – Léopoldville – Entebbe – Khartoum – Wadi Halfa – Benghazi – Rome – London
MSN:
102
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
47
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Captain / Total flying hours:
9158
Captain / Total hours on type:
920.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3204
Copilot / Total hours on type:
961
Circumstances:
The flight is a scheduled service from Salisbury, Rhodesia, to London and is known as the Zambezi service. This service is operated by three crews, one crew operating from Salisbury to Entebbe, the second from Entebbe to Benina and the third from Benina to London. On 8 August this service departed from Salisbury at 0713LT and a stop was made at Ndola for traffic purposes. At Entebbe, a relief crew took over the aircraft for the sector to Benina. Stops were made at Khartoum and Wadi Halfa for refuelling and the aircraft left Wadi Halfa at 2120LT for Benina. The flight was completely uneventful and slightly ahead of schedule up to the time of the accident. At 0112 hours the aircraft was cleared into Benina control zone. At the request of the pilot, at 0114 hours, permission was given by Benina Approach Control to make a direct approach on to runway 330° Right, using the locator and the responder beacons. Between 20 and 30 seconds after this clearance had been acknowledged by the pilot the aircraft struck high ground 5,5 miles to the southeast of the aerodrome. Fire broke out on impact. Of the 7 crew and 47 passengers aboard the aircraft, 4 crew and 32 passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was that when making an approach to runway 330° Right and whilst flying in cloud, the pilot descended below the correct height thus permitting the aircraft to strike high ground. The reason why the pilot descended so low, 5,5 miles from the aerodrome, cannot be established, but the most probable cause is that he misinterpreted the reading of his altimeter. The possibility that his efficiency had been reduced by fatigue and a slight indisposition cannot be excluded.
Final Report:

Crash of a Scottish Twin Pioneer 1 in Fezzan: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
G-AOEO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wadi al Ashtan – Tripoli
MSN:
503
YOM:
1956
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
564
Circumstances:
On 7 December the aircraft flew down to Fezzan from Idris Airport to the Esso (Petroleum Ltd.) camp at Wadi al Atshan - a flight of some 400 miles. From Atshan it made one local flight of 45 minutes duration. The aircraft was then refuelled at Atshan and set off at 1427LT for the return journey to Idris Airport where it was expected to arrive at 1800LT with 2 crew and 4 passengers aboard. When the aircraft failed to arrive, a series of radio checks were carried out followed by a widespread air and surface search. The wreckage was sighted the next day. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident Was the result of the failure in fatigue of the forward tube of the "V brace" structure in the outer panel of the port wing. This failure led to the breaking away of the outer panel of the port wing from the aircraft in flight. The aircraft was then rendered completely uncontrollable and dived vertically to the ground.
Final Report: