Basra | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While approaching Basra Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to sand storm. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in a field located few km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed, among them Abdel Salam Mohammad Arif, President of the Republic of Iraq. He was flying with two Ministers and two Chiefs of Staff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Beirut

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1954 at 0856 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

F-BEFS

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Paris – Brindisi – Nicosia – Basra – Hanoi

MSN:

12416

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft, belonging to the Compagnie Autrex-Lopez-Loreta-Lebreton, was on a delivery flight from Paris to Hanoi. It departed from Paris on 22 January 1954 at 0650Z and arrived at Brindisi the same day at 1305Z. The following day the aircraft left Brindisi at 0720Z and landed at Nicosia at 1330Z. From Nicosia the aircraft intended to fly to Basra, but a failure in the HF radio equipment caused a change in the schedule, and it was decided to fly to Beirut where specialists and the spare parts necessary for the repair were available. On final approach by night, the aircraft was too low when, at a speed of 105 knots, it struck a mound of earth located 85 feet short of runway 36, damaging the right mains gear. The aircraft subsequently landed on the runway when the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to a pilot error due to lack of knowledge of the terrain. The existence of the mound was only an aggravating circumstance. The failure of the right landing gear may be explained by the excessive landing weight of the aircraft. The main cause of the accident was probably an unduly short landing which, in view of the length of the runway and the perfect condition of the aircraft, was unwarranted and must, therefore, be ascribed mainly to error on the part of the pilot, due largely to his lack of familiarity with the terrain. The pilot had never landed at the Beirut International Airport. The faulty altimeter setting was possibly an additional reason for the defective approach. Also, restricted visibility prevented the pilot from seeing the mound and taking appropriate action to avoid a crash. The presence of the mound at 26.60 meters from the runway entrance was a contributing factor. Since this mound was 78 cm high, the variation in level was 3%.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Shaibah AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1947 at 2240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGNR

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

London – Luqa – Cairo – Basra – Karachi – New Delhi – Calcutta

MSN:

1219

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute from Cairo to Basra, the crew was informed by ATC about poor weather in Basra and was instructed to divert to the Shaibah AFB located east of Basra. On approach by night, the pilot was unable to locate the runway and was forced to abandon the landing procedure for a go around. A second attempt to land and a third approach few minutes later were abandoned as well. During the fourth trial, the captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the four engine aircraft hit the ground and bounced. It gain few meters, flew over a wooded area and eventually stalled and crashed 740 yards further, in a desert area. All six crew members were killed while 12 passengers were injured.

Probable cause:

An error on the part of the pilot in continuing the flight in unsuitable weather conditions coupled with a lack of cooperation on part of the Air Traffic Control.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in H3 Oil Station

Date & Time: May 11, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 691 Lancastrian

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGLF

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cairo – Basra

MSN:

1172

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute from Cairo to Basra on a cargo flight, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to divert to the H3 Oil Station Airfield for an emergency landing. The four engine aircraft crash landed and came to rest. All four occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK near Basra

Date & Time: May 1, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGNA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Desert

MSN:

14967/26412

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed near Basra during a sandstorm. There were no casualties.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Darband: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1942

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Basra - Tehran

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Basra on a flight to Tehran on behalf of the Soviet Ministry of Defense. While cruising in poor visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the Zagros Mountain Range. The wreckage was found about 32 km southeast of Darband. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants were killed, among them Soviet officers, one USAAF Colonel and two employees of General Motors.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Short S.19 Singapore III off Abukir: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Short S.19 Singapore III

Operator:

Registration:

K4584

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Abukir - Basra

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While taking off from RAF Abukir, the float plane collided with a sea wall and crashed, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and six others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Clunie Steed, †
AC1 William Halliburton Scott, †
AC1 Alfred Albert Shaw, †
S/Ldr James Rowland Scarlett-Streatfield,
P/O Peter Roland Mathews Williams,
Cpl Philip Ingrey,
Cpl John Riddell Smith,
AC1 William Nixon Arrowsmith,
AC1 William Hetherington Ard.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal in Basra: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1929

Type of aircraft:

Dornier Do J Wal

Operator:

Registration:

D-22

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Texel - Basra - Batavia

MSN:

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The seaplane was on a delivery flight from The Netherlands to the Dutch Indies. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Basra, Iraq. The pilot P. S. Everts was killed while both other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9A in Al-Khidir

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1921

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.9

Operator:

Registration:

H81

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Basra - Baghdad

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On a flight from Basra to Baghdad, weather conditions deteriorared with poor visibility due to sandstorm. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed and came to rest upside down in a drainage ditch. Both occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/O H. W. Baggs.
Passenger:
Maj Gen W. E. Ironside.