FlightFinder
Check my flight
103 fatalities

2010 Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771 Accident (5A-ONG)

Tripoli, LibyaLanding (descent or approach)

On May 12, 2010, an Airbus A330 (registration 5A-ONG) operated by Afriqiyah Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Tripoli, Libya during landing or approach. 103 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident resulted from a lack of a common action plan during the approach, continuation of the final approach below the MDA without visual reference, inappropriate flight control inputs during the go-around and TAWS warnings, and lack of monitoring and… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary report: the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau of Libya (AAIB)Updated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered 5A-ONG
Aircraft registered 5A-ONG. Photo: Bruno01 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On May 11, 2010, a scheduled flight from Johannesburg to London crashed during a missed approach at Tripoli International Airport, killing 103 of 104 occupants.

Flight Details and Accident Sequence On May 11, 2010, flight 8U771/AAW771 departed O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, at 19:25 UTC, bound for London with an intermediate stop at Tripoli International Airport in Libya. The aircraft carried three cockpit crew members, eight cabin crew members, and 93 passengers. At takeoff, the aircraft had a mass of 187,501 kg and 50,000 kg of fuel. During final approach to runway 09 at Tripoli, the crew announced a go-around and initiated the missed approach procedure with the knowledge and confirmation of Tripoli tower. The aircraft initially responded to crew inputs, with velocity and altitude increasing above the minimum descent altitude (MDA). However, the aircraft then descended dramatically and collided with the ground approximately 1,200 meters from the runway 09 threshold and 150 meters to the right of its centerline. The impact and subsequent fire completely destroyed the aircraft. One 8-year-old boy was injured, while 103 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause

The accident resulted from a lack of a common action plan during the approach, continuation of the final approach below the MDA without visual reference, inappropriate flight control inputs during the go-around and TAWS warnings, and lack of monitoring and controlling of the flight path. Contributing factors included limited CRM, somatogravic perceptual illusions, inadequate training, and weather information that did not reflect actual conditions.
Loss of control in flight

Related events

Same aircraft family

More Airbus A330 safety records →

All Airbus A330-200 accidents →

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 12 May 2010 Airbus A330 accident near Tripoli, Libya?

On May 11, 2010, a scheduled flight from Johannesburg to London crashed during a missed approach at Tripoli International Airport, killing 103 of 104 occupants.

Were there any fatalities in the 12 May 2010 Airbus A330 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 103 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 12 May 2010 involved an Airbus A330, registration 5A-ONG, operated by Afriqiyah Airways, at Tripoli, Libya.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident resulted from a lack of a common action plan during the approach, continuation of the final approach below the MDA without visual reference, inappropriate flight control inputs during the go-around and TAWS warnings, and lack of monitoring and controlling of the flight path. Contributing factors included…

More accident analyses