No fatalities

1968-01-09: Boeing 720 (ET-AAG) — Middle East Airlines - MEA — Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut, LebanonLanding (descent or approach)

On January 9, 1968, a Boeing 720 (registration ET-AAG) operated by Middle East Airlines - MEA was involved in an aviation accident near Beirut, Lebanon during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781239210Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft landing at Beirut in heavy rain and gusty winds touched down nose-first, causing the nose gear to collapse. The plane slid and caught fire; all 49 occupants were evacuated, with 10 injured.

Incident Overview

An aircraft completing a flight from Lagos, with an intermediate stop in Kano, was on approach to Beirut. The crew conducted the approach in adverse weather conditions, which included heavy rainfall, turbulence, and wind gusts reaching 45 knots.

Landing and Sequence of Events

During the final approach segment, the aircraft was unstable. On short final, it touched down nose gear first. The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse. The aircraft subsequently slid for several yards before coming to rest, at which point a fire broke out.

Occupants and Evacuation

All 49 occupants aboard were rescued. Ten individuals sustained injuries. The aircraft sustained partial fire damage.