1968-05-07: Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy (XR133) — Royal Air Force - RAF — Got El Afrag, Libya

11 fatalitiesGot El Afrag, LibyaLanding (descent or approach)

An aircraft crashed and caught fire during a low-altitude maneuver near Got El Afrag Airstrip, resulting in the deaths of all 11 people on board.

What happened

During an approach to the Got El Afrag Airstrip, the flight crew requested authorization to perform a low pass. The purpose of this maneuver was to visually verify that the landing gear had been properly deployed.

While flying at a low altitude, the pilot initiated a right-hand turn. During this maneuver, the right wing made contact with the ground, which triggered a crash and subsequent fire. There were 11 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.

Findings

Investigations into the accident concluded that the incident was caused by the pilot misjudging the distance to the ground during the turn.

Probable cause

The pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from the terrain while executing a low-altitude turn.