Salalah AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The descent to Salalah Airport was initiated in marginal weather conditions. On approach, the airplane impacted a hill and crashed few km from the airport. Eleven occupants were killed while a crew member was seriously injured. He died a day later from injuries sustained.
Crew:
S/L D. Forward, pilot,
F/Lt R. Diggory,
Cpl D. Howden,
Cpl R. A. Prior,
F/Lt N. T. Evans,
F/O D. P. Hinton,
Cpl J. J. Gibson,
Sgt T. J. A. Pearce,
L. A. Bain, navigator.

Probable cause:

The minimum safe altitude was fixed at 5,000 feet to descent to Salalah Airport. Probably due to bad visibility caused by low clouds, the crew continued the descent down to 3,000 feet, causing the aircraft to collide with ground. Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III near Salalah: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

KG690

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Riyan - Salalah

MSN:

13557

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was completing a flight from Riyan to Salalah on behalf of the 44th SAAF Squadron, carrying five crew members and 27 passengers, among them locals. While approaching Salalah from the west in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain, crashed and exploded about 48 km west of Salalah. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found about 630 feet above sea level.
Crew:
Lt C. J. K. Schutte, pilot,
Lt J. H. Glenny, copilot,
Lt G. C. Pennington, observer,
Cpl R. Hosmer, wireless operator,
Cpl R. B. Boraine, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Pilot was well briefed at both Sheikh Othman and Riyan in correct approaches to Salalah and was instructed that in thick weather only safe approach to Salalah was on bearing between 300° and 360°. Pilot was approaching Salalah on a bearing of 051° which is unsafe in thick weather unless approach is made at not less than 5,000 feet. It was impossible to ascertain from the wreckage whether there had been engine trouble but assumed not as aircraft was in good w/t communication with Salalah immediately before crash and made no distress signals.