Crash of a Miles M.57 Aerovan IV in Ruţbah Wells

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Miles M.57 Aerovan
Operator:
Arab Contracting & Trading Company
Registration:
G-AIDJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
6387
YOM:
1946
Location:
Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason, injuring both crew members. The aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide near Ruţbah Wells

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADNG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Haifa – Ruţbah Wells
MSN:
6297
YOM:
1935
Location:
Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching En route Ruţbah Wells, the pilot encountered problems and was forced to attempt an emergency. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in a desert area located some 50 km west of Ruţbah Wells. All six occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115A in Ruţbah Wells: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1934 at 0333 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
PH-AJU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Marseille – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Baghdad – Karachi – Yangon – Singapore – Batavia
MSN:
1317
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
284
Circumstances:
The crew departed Cairo-Almaza Airport at 2330LT bound for Baghdad. While overflying the Iraqi Desert at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Ruţbah Wells. On approach, the aircraft was at full power when it impacted the ground in a 17° right bank angle and 12° nose down attitude. The aircraft crashed and exploded some 16 km from the Ruţbah Wells Airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Wilhelm Marie Okko Anne Beekman, pilot,
Jan Johannes van Steenbergen, copilot,
Hendrik Abraham Waalewijn, engineer,
Gysbert van Zadelhoff, radio navigator.
Passengers:
Dominique Willem Berretty,
E. W. Walch,
Jacob Thymen Kort.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident is probably not related to a fire, in-flight break-up or lightning, nor related to failures of a technical nature. It is very likely that the very unfavorable weather conditions along with less favorable handling characteristics of the airplane in severe turbulence and fatigue of the pilot have resulted in a collision with the ground, which caused the catastrophe.

Crash of a Farman F.303 in Ruţbah Wells

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.303
Operator:
Registration:
F-AJVS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Marseille – Baghdad – Saigon
MSN:
4/7215
YOM:
1931
Location:
Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Marseille to Baghdad, while cruising at night, the crew encountered poor visibility due to a sand storm. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a desert area located some 130 km from Ruţbah Wells. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all seven occupants evacuated safely.

Crash of a Farman F.190 in Tell-Farida: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.190
Operator:
Registration:
F-AJDP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Damascus – Baghdad – Karachi
MSN:
7135
YOM:
1929
Location:
Ruţbah Wells (Ar Ruţbah)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Damascus to Baghdad, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sandstorm. The pilot lost his orientation when the airplane impacted ground and crashed near Tell-Farida, in the region of Ruţbah Wells, some 300 km west of Baghdad. The aircraft came to rest upside down and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed. The crew and passenger were performing a special flight on behalf of The League of Nations (Société des Nations). The passenger was the Swiss Colonel de Reynier who was in charge to fix the border between Syria and Iraq.
Crew:
Julien Risser, pilot,
Mr. Huber, mechanic.
Passenger:
Colonel de Reynier.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while flying in a sandstorm.
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