Ground explosion of a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 100 in Colombo: 16 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1986 at 0905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
4R-ULD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London - Zurich - Dubai - Colombo - Male
MSN:
193P-1061
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
UL512
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
22
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
128
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Aircraft flight hours:
28915
Aircraft flight cycles:
16666
Circumstances:
While parked at Colombo-Bandaranaike Airport, the aircraft was preparing for the last leg to Male. Ground personnel was still servicing the aircraft with fuel and catering and about 150 people were on board when an explosion occurred in the rear part of the cabin. The aircraft was cut in two and partially destroyed by fire. 46 people were injured, 88 were unhurt and 16 passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the explosion was the consequence of a bomb placed on board by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Ground fire of a Boeing 737-266 in Luqa: 60 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1985 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AYH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Athens - Cairo
MSN:
21191
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
MS648
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
92
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
60
Circumstances:
On November 23, at 19:35 the EgyptAir Boeing 737 was hijacked by 3 men. The Egyptian security guard who was onboard shot and killed one of the hijackers before being shot and wounded himself, along with two flight attendants. Although the hijackers demanded to be flown to Tunisia or Libya, they agreed to land at Malta for refueling were it landed at 21:15. At Malta, the two wounded cabin crew members were released, along with 11 women. Because Maltese authorities refused to refuel the plane unless all passengers were released, the hijackers threatened to kill a passenger every 10 minutes. A total of 5 additional people were shot and thrown off the aircraft, two of them were killed. After 22 hours of negotiation the plane was stormed by Egyptian forces. In the fight which followed hand grenades were thrown into the passenger cabin, causing a fire.
Probable cause:
Aircraft hijacked and then partially destroyed by grenade explosion and fire arms.

Ground explosion of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules at Pope AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
74-1693
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4693
YOM:
1976
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While parked at Pope AFB, the crew started the engine when an explosion occurred. The aircraft caught fire and was totally destroyed, killing all six crew members.
Probable cause:
An APU connected to the aircraft overheat and exploded for unknown reasons.

Ground fire of an Avro 748-259-2A in Moosonee

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1979 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GPAA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1675
YOM:
1970
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was loaded with two rubber cargo bladders, filled with 1600 Imp gallons of aviation gasoline. The aircraft was parked overnight, until at 05:40 the 2 crew members arrived to perform the pre-departure checks. A smell of Avgas fumes was detectable, but not stronger than on similar trips. The engines were started, and when the no. 1 engine reached idle rpm, the crew proceeded with after-start checks. When both alternators and the left generator were turned on, a violent explosion occurred in the cabin. The nose gear collapsed and the rear airstair was blown off. Both pilots managed to escape before a fierce fire consumed the aircraft.
Probable cause:
The reason for the accumulation and ignition of the vapours could no longer be definitely determined because of the complete destruction of the aircraft. However, the fact that the explosion occurred during the after-start check as electrical equipment was being turned on suggests equipment in the underfloor electrical bay as a probable source of ignition. Although such equipment is designed to be flameproof, the aircraft had an extensive repair history during which this protection may have been lost.

Ground accident of a Fairchild F27A in Paris-Orly

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-GBRS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
108
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked at Paris-Orly Airport with 15 passengers and a crew of three on board, the airplane suffered an accident in unclear circumstances. All 18 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Ground accident of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Milan

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MM62000
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4497
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Technicians were engaged in ground tests at Malpensa Airport. While parked on the ramp, an engine run-up was initiated when the airplane jumped over the chocks and eventually struck obstacles and came to rest. There were no injuries.

Ground explosion of an Avro 748-212-2 in Colombo

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
4R-ACJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Colomb - Colombo
MSN:
1571
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked on apron at Colombo-Ratmalana Airport, the airplane was prepared by a crew of two for a positioning flight to Colombo-Katunayake Airport when an explosion occurred in the middle section. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots escaped uninjured. Liberation Tigers claimed responsibility for explosion but the real author of the terrorist act was not found.
Probable cause:
Bomb explosion.

Ground fire in a Tupolev TU-154A in Novosibirsk

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85087
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
74A-087
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked at Tolmachevo Airport with negative temperatures, ground employees in charge to clean the cabin installed a heater on a vehicle to heat the cabin. The aircraft engineer who performed the work left the operating heater unattended and left. At the same time, an oily rag was forgotten in front of the inlet of the air heater, which was subsequently drawn into the air heater, caught fire and was thrown through the sleeve into the aircraft cabin. The fire was not detected rapidly so it spread in the cabin and destroyed a large part of the aircraft. There were no injuries.

Ground accident of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Bangkok

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4K-2/16
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
20033
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
9401
Circumstances:
While parked, the airplane was struck by a Royal Thai Force C-47 that just took off with 12 people on board. Both airplanes were destroyed. While the C-123 was empty, five people on board the C-47 were killed, seven others were injured.

Ground accident of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Wausau

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1977 at 0850 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1567U
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wausau - Milwaukee
MSN:
207-0167
YOM:
1970
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
566
Captain / Total hours on type:
550.00
Circumstances:
While parked at Wausau Airport, the engine was started when the airplane departed its parking place, rolled for few yards and eventually collided with a tree. The pilot who was not on board was uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Ground collision with tree after the pilot started the engine without proper ground assistance. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot rotated propeller by hand,
- The pilot failed to turn magnetos off,
- The pilot failed to set brakes prior to start the engine.
Final Report: