Yemen

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Sanaa - Cairo - Paris

MSN:

070

YOM:

1979

Flight number:

AF125

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

111

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9053

Aircraft flight cycles:

3376

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Sana'a Intl Airport, at a speed of 95 knots, the crew noticed a loud bang followed by vibrations. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. The airplane came to rest on runway with its right wing on fire. All 124 occupants were evacuated safely, nevertheless, two passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident directly resulted from the uncontained explosion of a first stage high pressure turbine disk of the right hand engine. The propagation of a low cycle fatigue crack on one of the embossments of the disk rim was at the origin of the disk fracture. This cracks, which existed before, had not been detected during the inspection conducted in the operator's workshops, according to the method defined by the manufacturer and in accordance with the requirements of the airworthiness authority. The investigations showed that it was necessary, not only to reduce the intervals between the inspections of these disks and conduct two independent sequential inspections, but also to modify the design and make sure they were progressively replaced by the new type. It seems obvious that the limit life validation methods used at the time of the accident, were still insufficient, as far as the probability of non-detection of cracks was concerned.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Mareb

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

4W-ABY

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13174

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Damaged beyond repair following a hard landing at Ma'rib Airstrip. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing 707-430 in Sanaa

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Pearl Air

Registration:

9Q-CRT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

MSN:

17718/90

YOM:

1959

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

60939

Circumstances:

Following a wrong approach configuration, the airplane landed nose gear first on runway 18. Upon impact, a tire burst and the airplane bounced three times before the captain decided to initiate a go-around. After a circuit, the crew completed a second landing safely but after touchdown, control was lost as the nosewheel steering was inoperative. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. While all three crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK off Aden: 19 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

7O-ABF

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Aden - Al Karf

MSN:

13475

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Aden-Khormaksar Airport, while climbing, the airplane suffered an engine failure. Pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed into the sea few km offshore. A passenger was rescued while 19 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Ta'izz

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1976

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

7O-ABC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13335

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Beihan

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

7O-ABP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Aden - Beihan

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Beihan Airport, the airplane nosed over and came to rest on its nose. All occupants were evacuated, five of them were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Ta'izz

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

4W-ABR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12823

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances upon landing at Ta'izz-Al Janad Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Yemen: 25 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1973

Type of aircraft: