On October 3, 1957, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration OD-ACK) operated by Lebanese International Airways - LIA was involved in an aviation accident near Beirut, Lebanon in flight. 27 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An onboard fire occurred shortly after takeoff, leading to a loss of altitude and subsequent impact with the sea. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea approximately 18 km from Beirut, resulting in no survivors among the 27 people on board.
What happened
Shortly after departing from Beirut Airport, the flight crew notified air traffic control regarding an onboard fire. Following this emergency notification, the decision was made to perform a return to the departure airfield.
While maintaining an altitude of roughly 2,000 meters, the aircraft began a rapid descent and impacted the sea approximately 18 km away from Beirut. Search efforts located various pieces of debris the following morning. The flight was also transporting a cargo of gold at the time of the accident.
Findings
The aircraft was carrying a total of 27 fatalities.
An onboard fire was reported by the crew during the initial climb phase.
Probable cause
An onboard fire occurred shortly after takeoff, leading to a loss of altitude and subsequent impact with the sea.