What happened
During a nighttime flight returning to Aden-Khormaksar Airport after completing a local training mission, the crew received instructions from air traffic control to alter their flight path. The purpose of this diversion was to assist in a search and rescue operation for a missing Somali Air Force Beechcraft C-45 that had failed to arrive at Aden.
To facilitate the mission, controllers directed the aircraft to maintain specific low altitudes, initially set at 300 feet and subsequently increased to 500 feet. While flying at an altitude of approximately 570 feet, the Beechcraft C-45 impacted a sand dune. The impact occurred roughly 24 km northeast of Aden, resulting in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were seven fatalities among the crew members.
Findings
Investigations into the accident indicate that the crash was influenced by the low visibility conditions present during the night. The primary factor contributing to the impact was the crew's failure to identify the sand dune while operating at a low altitude in darkness.