Mitiga | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

National Oil Corporation confirms a C-130 aircraft chartered by Akakus Oil crashed during take-off, 2 km from the Sharara oil field, after delivering 18 tonnes of catering and maintenance supplies. The crash occurred at 12:25pm on Sunday, April 29, 2018. Firefighters and paramedics quickly rushed to the scene. The tragic incident resulted in the death of three crew members and the injury of one other who is being evacuated by air to receive medical treatment in Tripoli. The NOC Board of Directors cancelled all their commitments and are presently at Akakus headquarters meeting with local management and a number of emergency staff to follow up on this tragic incident. The circumstances of the crash are still being investigated. Mr. Fayez Al-Sarraj, Chairman of the Presidential Council, was briefed on the developments of the incident, and expressed his solidarity with the families of the victims, ordering the preparation of a decree commemorating the deceased as martyrs. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was also briefed and offered its condolences to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The plane in question is the property of the Libyan Air Force but was chartered by Akakus Oil, who operate the Sharara field. The company was forced to charter the aircraft due to road closures and the security situation on the ground stemming from a road blockade leading to the field.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Grombalia: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 2014 at 0130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

5A-DOW

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Mitiga - Tunis

MSN:

118 09

YOM:

1981

Location:

Grombalia

Nabeul Governorate (ولاية نابل‎)

Country:

Tunisia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on approach to Tunis-Carthage Airport by night when it crashed in flames in an open field located near Grombalia, some 35 km southeast of Tunis. All 11 occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. The aircraft was completing an ambulance flight from Mitiga, carrying six crew members, three doctors and two patients.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M in Moscow

Date & Time: Mar 29, 2006 at 2051 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-62

Operator:

Libyan Government

Registration:

5A-DKR

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Mitiga - Moscow

MSN:

4053514

YOM:

1990

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Mitiga on a positioning flight to Moscow-Domodedovo where the airplane should follow an overhaul program. The airplane crossed the runway 32R threshold at a height of 12 metres and with an excessive speed of 304 km/h. At a height of about five metres, the captain instructed the flight engineer to reduce the speed and to bring back the speed levers to idle. This instruction was confirmed by the flight engineer then the captain asked for the thrust reversers to be activated. In a certain confusion, the flight engineer did not confirm this instruction and asked again the order. Possibly due to a certain distraction, the flight engineer failed to position the power lever in the correction position. As a result, the aircraft floated at a height estimated between 0,5 and one metre before it landed firmly 1,100 metres past the runway threshold at a speed of 258 km/h. Unable to stop within the landing distance available, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 680 metres further, broken in three. All six occupants were rescued, among them two were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident occurred as a result of erroneous actions by the flight engineer during operations to turn on the engine reverse when landing the plane, expressed in shifting the reverse buckets to direct thrust and putting the 1st and 4th engines to take-off mode after landing. The Commission concluded that the flight engineer’s erroneous actions were facilitated by:
- A low level of technological discipline in the crew due to the weak role of the captain as a leader in the crew, which was manifested in the crew members not fully fulfilling the "Instructions for the interaction and technology of the crew members of the IL-62M aircraft" and Aircraft Flight Manual during descent, approach and landing,
- Emotional relaxation of the crew at the end of a business trip and return to base,
- Lack of effective control, including according to the data of flight recorders over flight operations with LIBAVIA,
- In the "Instructions for the interaction and technology of the crew of the IL-62M aircraft" there are no control functions on the part of other crew members for the actions of the flight engineer at the stage of aircraft landing and the status of the reverse on/off alarm,
- The absence in the training programs of the simulator of exercises for practicing the actions of crew members in case of erroneous actions by the flight engineer when the reverse is turned on,
- Lack of equipment for the flight engineer’s workplace with a radio headset, lack of procedures in the "Instructions for Interaction and the Work Technology of the Crew Members of the Il-62M Aircraft" for the use of a radio headset for flight personnel in flights with a reduced crew,
- Excessive volume of the SSU speakers broadcasting external radio communications, which created additional difficulties when listening to the commands given by the captain,
- Fuzziness (illegibility) of the commands given by the PIC and the lack of response of the PIC to the non-confirmation of the commands given by him to the flight engineer.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1329-25 JetStar II off Tripoli: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-1329 JetStar

Operator:

Libyan Government

Registration:

5A-DAR

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Mitiga - Algiers

MSN:

5221

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Mitiga to Algiers. After takeoff from Mitiga Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 7,000 feet, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and the contact with ATC was interrupted. SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned after eight days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed that the aircraft crashed in the Mediterranean Sea and lost without trace.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK into the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-48213

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tripoli – Athens

MSN:

14029/25474

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute from Tripoli to Athens, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft 145 km north of the Libyan coast. About 15 minutes after the emergency landing, the crew of a USN SA-16 Albatross was able to evacuate all 18 occupants safely. Later, the C-47 sank and was lost. The crew was performing a flight from Mitiga Airfield to Hassani Airport in Athens.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-22-FA Flying Boxcar near Gharyan

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

51-2542

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Udine – Tripoli

MSN:

10500

YOM:

1950

Location:

Gharyan

Jabal al Gharbi (الجبل الغربي)

Country:

Libya

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Udine to Wheelus AFB in Tripoli (today Mitiga). For unknown reason, the airplane continued to the south and following a fuel exhaustion, all 24 occupants decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a desert area located about 48 km south of Gharyan. All 24 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Aircraft abandoned following a fuel exhaustion.