Crash of a Douglas C-53 in Cairo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
TC-ACA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ankara – Cairo
MSN:
7352
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Cairo Airport, the airplane was too low and hit a sand dune and crashed. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Fāyid AFB

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VW824
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
385
YOM:
10
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fāyid Airbase, en route to UK, an engine lost power. The crew decided to return for a safe landing but was unable to feather the propeller. The pilot-in-command completed a belly landing and after touchdown, the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine power loss.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Fāyid AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VW156
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fāyid - Fāyid
MSN:
326
YOM:
11
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a demonstration flight at Fāyid AFB, on behalf of the 78th Squadron. While dropping equipment from a height of 800 feet, a parachute deployed prematurely and hit the tail of the aircraft that became uncontrollable and crashed in a huge explosion three km from the airfield. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta in Al Kibrit AFB

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VW805
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Al Kibrit - Al Kibrit
MSN:
366
YOM:
1949
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight at Al Kibrit AFB, about 30 km north of Suez. On final approach completed with one engine operative only, the crew decided to make a go around when the aircraft stalled and crashed with its undercarriage retracted few hundred yards from the runway threshold. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed L-749A Constellation in Wadi El Natrun: 55 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1950 at 0203 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6004C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bombay – Cairo – Rome – Geneva – Paris – Shannon – Gander – New York
MSN:
2636
YOM:
1950
Flight number:
TW903
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
55
Captain / Total flying hours:
10664
Captain / Total hours on type:
864.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6355
Copilot / Total hours on type:
363
Aircraft flight hours:
1100
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft christened 'Star of Maryland' left Cairo-Faruk Airport at 0135LT and was cleared to climb to 14,000 feet. While flying to the northwest at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the engine number three caught fire. The propeller was feathered but the crew was unable to extinguish the fire. the Cairo control tower received a routine position report at 23:55Z "off Cairo 2335 25 miles out of Cairo at 2343 estimated time of arrival Rome 0530" which was acknowledged but the flight did not reply with the customary "Roger". No other message was received from the flight despite frequent attempts to contact it by several stations. At or about the time of the receipt of the above message a number of persons on the desert to the northwest of Cairo saw the aircraft afire in flight. The aircraft turned back as if intending to land at Cairo, but the fire rapidly increased, causing the burning engine to fall free. The crew attempted a night emergency landing in a desert area located about 100 km northwest of Cairo. The aircraft crashed and disintegrated on impact. All 55 occupants were killed, among them tourists, engineers and US diplomats.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the rear row master rod bearing causing an uncontrolled fire which precipitated a crash landing.
The following findings were reported:
- The rear row master rod bearing of No. 3 engine failed during the climb to cruising altitude,
- This bearing failure precipitated a fire in the No. 3 power plant, the No. 3 propeller was feathered,
- The aircraft was turned back toward Cairo and the burning engine shortly fell free,
- Fire continued in the right wing and an attempted night landing on the desert resulted in destruction of the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 near Fāyid AFB: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SX957
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Fāyid - Fāyid
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training sortie from Fāyid AFB and was carrying a crew of ten that should simulate a combined attack with a RAF Vampire. Registered VZ188, the Vampire was carrying one pilot. In flight, while cruising at low height, both aircraft collided, dove into the ground and crashed 11 miles northeast of the Fāyid airbase. All 11 occupants on both aircraft were killed. It was reported that most of the crew members were cadets on vacation in the region.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Ras Matarma

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-ADM
Flight Type:
MSN:
A-56
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Ras Matarma. The occupant's fate remains unknown. Christened 'Nefertity', the twin engine aircraft left Wichita a day earlier and was on a delivery flight to Egypt when the accident occurred.

Crash of a Vickers Valetta in Deversoir AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VW160
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
330
YOM:
24
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft suffered a loss of power simultaneously on both engines. The aircraft skidded and veered off runway before colliding with a Direction Finding station. All occupants escaped unhurt while a person in the station was killed. The aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond economical repair.

Crash of a Fiat G.212 in Alexandria

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
SU-AFX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alexandria – Benghazi – Tripoli
MSN:
07
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff in unknown circumstances. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Alexandria: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-ADK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
A-54
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Alexandria Airport, killing all five occupants.