Date & Time: May 13, 1977 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LZA
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warsaw - Varna - Beirut
MSN:
6 3 443 07
YOM:
1966
Country:
Lebanon
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Warsaw to Beirut with an intermediate stop in Varna, carrying a crew of nine and a load of frozen meat. While approaching Beirut at an altitude of 2,100 feet, the four engine airplane struck power cables and crashed on rocky terraces located 8 km from runway 21 threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all nine occupants were killed. It was reported that ATC transmitted several instructions to the crew that failed to respond, maybe due to language issues.