Ground accident of a Saab 340A in Kuwait City

Date & Time: Mar 12, 2007
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OD-IST
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuwait City - Beirut
MSN:
13
YOM:
1984
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Kuwait City Airport, preparing for a flight to Beirut, the twin engine aircraft collided with a vehicle, causing serious damages to the right wing. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Kuwait City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1999 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-7854
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuwait - Kuwait
MSN:
3924
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
86
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On a night approach to Kuwait-Ahmed Al-Jaber AFB, the aircraft impacted the ground approximately 2,895 feet short and about 40 feet to the left of the runway centerline. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and some penetrated the cabin floor. The crew initiated a go-around procedure and diverted to the Kuwait International Airport where he completed an emergency belly landing. Three passengers were killed while all other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to follow the published procedures. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Crew complacency,
- The pilot-in-command suffered a spatial disorientation at a critical phase of the flight, resulting in the crew's loss of situational awareness and failing to recognize an unsafe descent,
- Lack of pilot leadership and discipline,
- Lack of support from the copilot, navigator, and flight engineer,
- Overall lack of sound judgment by the flight deck crew.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Ras al-Mishab: 98 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
469
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuwait City - Ras al-Mishab - Dakar
MSN:
4754
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
95
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
98
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing the transfer of 95 Senegalese soldiers engaged in the Gulf War. While approaching Ras al-Mishab Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to heavy black smoke coming from the oil wells set on fire. The crew descended too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few km from the airfield. Three passengers were injured while 98 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Bristol 175 Britannia 308F in Manston

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ANCG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London - Kuwait City
MSN:
12923
YOM:
1959
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
54
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7254
Captain / Total hours on type:
1874.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3840
Aircraft flight hours:
10682
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from London-Heathrow Airport, while climbing, the undercarriage wouldn't lock up after takeoff, so the crew recycled the gear a couple of times. On the third attempt, the bogie (which was not rotating in the right sequence) fouled the main hydraulic jack fracturing the attachment bolt of the shuttle valve for the main and emergency 'down' hydraulic lines. All hydraulic fluid escaped and the gear couldn't be extended anymore. In agreement with ATC, the captain decided to divert to Manston-Kent Airport where an emergency landing was carried out on a foamed runway. The airplane completed a belly landing and was damaged beyond repair while all 65 occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The undercarriage failed to lock down due to loss of the hydraulic fluid from the main and emergency systems. This resulted from fracture of the hydraulic lines consequent upon fouling of the port undercarriage retraction jack head by the bogie through incorrect setting up of the retraction sequence valve. The following findings were reported:
- The port main undercarriage retraction sequence valve, which was replaced before the flight, was not correctly set up,
- The undercarriage retraction test to check the operation of the sequence valve was carried out in such a way that the incorrect sequence of retraction resulting from the finding indicated in the previous paragraph was not detected,
- When the undercarriage was retracted after takeoff, the port bogie beam fouled the port main undercarriage retraction jack head,
- 'Recycling' the undercarriage resulted in the detachment of the main and emergency 'down' lines, and the loss of all hydraulic fluid and other fluids with which the system was replenished,
- None of the undercarriage units could be locked down and all collapsed during the landing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.121 Trident 1C in Kuwait City

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1966 at 2346 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9K-ACG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beirut - Kuwait City
MSN:
2118
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
KU032
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
72
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
95.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
107
Aircraft flight hours:
361
Circumstances:
Flight KU32 was a scheduled international flight from Beirut, Lebanon to Kuwait. It departed Beirut at 1855 hours GMT and apart from a tendency for the autopilot pitch lock to disconnect the flight to the descent point was uneventful. The aircraft was cleared to commence descent at 2028 hours GMT from flight level 300 to flight level 95 by the DY NDB - the pilot-in-command decided to carry out a visual approach and advised the co-pilot accordingly. The aircraft reached flight level 95 some three minutes before reaching the DY NDB and it maintained this level until passing the beacon at about 2039 hours GMT at which time it was cleared to descend to 3 000 ft it being agreed the aircraft would report on left base for runway 33R. By visual navigation and ADF indications from the MG NDB the aircraft was positioned on a left hand base leg for runway 33R passing abeam the MG NDB 1 - 2 miles to the south. The rate of descent was 1500 ft/min with the outboard engines at idle and 10 400 rpm on the centre engine. At about this time and when at flight level 50 the flight reported the field in sight - the pilot-in-command and flight engineer having sighted the airport rotating beacon and the co-pilot the rotating beacon and some airport lights - and the aircraft was cleared for final. A left turn on to final was cow menced at about 4 000 ft and the flight reported its position as 6 miles from the airport when at 2 300 ft. Rate of descent was 1 500 ft/min and airspeed was 178 kt. During all these manoeuvres the aircraft was being flown on the autopilot and the co-pilot had been requested to set 1 500 ft in the "acquire height" box of the autopilot. The ADF was tuned to the KWS locator which is 2 224 m from the runway threshold, and the co-pilot was occupied with the landing checks. At this stage of the flight the aircraft was at 1 830 ft almost abeam of the MG NDB inbound and 80 seconds from impact with the ground. Desired approach speed was 154 kt with a descent rate of 700 ft/min and a threshold speed of 134 kt. The aircraft struck the ground and crashed approximately 4 km short of the runway threshold, slightly to the left of the centreline at an elevation of approximately 185 ft. (Latitude 29013'25"N, Longitude 47058'05"E). The accident occurred at approximately 2046 hours GMT at night.
Probable cause:
High rate of descent and non-observance of Company's regulations. Corrective action carried out in calling for 10 500 rpm was not sufficient to re-establish level flight. A further demand for additional power was too late to be of any use. The pilot-in-command did not follow the procedures laid down in the operations manual for approach and landing of the aircraft type. The cockpit check for the approach and landing was still being carried out when the aircraft hit the ground and the pilot-in-command's altimeter was set on the QNH instead of the QFE.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster near Ghazni: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1963 at 1445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OD-AEB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Beirut – Kuwait City – Kabul
MSN:
10424
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
9957
Captain / Total hours on type:
3193.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2842
Copilot / Total hours on type:
743
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Beirut, Lebanon to Kabul, Afghanistan via Kuwait, carrying a crew of three. The trip to Kuwait was uneventful, and it arrived there at 0036 hours GMT on 12 December. Departure from Kuwait for Kabul was at 0256 hours and the flight reported passing Kandahar at 0838 and Kalat at 0900 flying at flight level 110. While en route the aircraft was provided with the Kandahar and Kabul weather. At 0942 hours it reported passing Ghazni at 0940, flying at flight level 150 and estimated its arrival time at Kabul as 10 10 hours. However, at 0958 (i. e. 12 minutes before ETA) it reported overhead Kabul and requested the latest weather situation which was provided. As the aircraft could not land at Kabul because of the weather conditions it reported at 0959 hours that it was diverting to Lahore. Shortly thereafter it reported it was proceeding to Zahedan via Ghazni (ETA 1025), Kandahar (ETA 1130) Zahedan (ETA 13 15). It would maintain flight level 150 to Ghazni, 130 to Kandahar and 110 to Zahedan. At 1003 hours the Kabul tower passed the Kandahar weather to the flight and 5 minutes later the flight reported it was 25 miles out from Kabul, at flight level 150. The aircraft was then cleared by Kabul tower to route frequency and nothing further was heard from it. The wreckage of the aircraft was first sighted on 16 August 1964, after the snow had melted, at an elevation of 13 940 ft amsl in the Koh-i-Safid Mountains 50 NM west of Ghazni and 42 NM from the approved air route. The coordinates of the accident site were estimated to be 33° 37' N 67° 35' E. The time of the accident was some time after 1015 hours GMT on 12 December 1963. The wreckage was found by Afghan soldiers on 16 August 1964.
Probable cause:
A wrong estimation of the wind speed and direction resulted in a navigation error which brought the aircraft 42 NM from the approved air route. Possible contributing factor s were: lack of weather forecast prior to take-off, personal worries, fatigue and lack of oxygen, inadequate charts and maps.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Kuwait City: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-ADE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kuwait City – Tehran
MSN:
MW295
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kuwait City Airport, while climbing, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a desert area located 6,5 km from the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando of Beirut: 27 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1957 at 0155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OD-ACK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Beirut – Kuwait City
MSN:
30249
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Beirut Airport, the crew informed ATC about a fire on board and elected to return. More than thirty minutes later, while at altitude of 2,000 meters, the aircraft lost height and crashed into the sea some 18 km off Beirut. Some debris were found in the morning and all 27 occupants were killed. The airplane was also carrying a load of gold.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Amman: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
JY-ABV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amman – Kuwait City
MSN:
27069
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
53
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Amman-Marka Airport, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems and received the permission to return for an emergency landing. The pilot completed a circuit and started the descent. With its undercarriage still raised, the aircraft struck the top of a hill located few km short of runway threshold, went out of control and eventually crashed in flames. A passenger was killed and ten others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Al Seeba

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-ADA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Abadan – Kuwait City
MSN:
MW231
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
About eight minutes after takeoff from Abadan Airport, while on a short flight to Kuwait City, the crew was flying at an altitude of 500 feet when power was lost on engine number three and four. The propeller on engine four was feathered and the crew contacted ATC for to return to Abadan for a safe landing. As the airplane lost height, the captain eventually decided to attempt an emergency landing in a desert area located in Al Seeba, at the border between Iraq and Iran. The aircraft belly landed and was damaged beyond repair. All 13 occupants were evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Mismanagement of the fuel pumps on part of the flying crew after departure from Abadan Airport. There was less than 100 gallons of fuel on the right tank at the time of the accident, which was not sufficient and thus considered as a contributing factor.