On September 19, 1946, an Avro 683 Lancaster (registration NX690) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Khoms, Libya in flight. 25 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was likely struck by lightning while flying through a thunderstorm, causing it to lose control. 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.
Aircraft crashed into terrain west of Khoms after losing control in severe weather, killing all 25 people on board.
What happened
During a scheduled flight from St Mawgan to Cairo, the crew encountered deteriorating meteorological conditions while traversing the Tripolitan region. The environment was characterized by intense thunderstorm activity and significant turbulence. As the aircraft navigated through this severe weather system, it suffered a loss of control. The machine subsequently entered an uncontrolled dive and impacted the ground approximately 10 kilometers west of Khoms. All 25 occupants were killed in the accident.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the primary factor leading to the loss of control was likely a lightning strike. It is believed the aircraft was struck by lightning while operating within the active thunderstorm area, which compromised its stability and led to the fatal crash.
Probable cause
The aircraft was likely struck by lightning while flying through a thunderstorm, causing it to lose control.
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