No fatalities

Mid-air collision involving two Ariana Afghan Airlines aircraft at Kabul Airport (YA-AAB)

Kabul, AfghanistanTaxiing

On January 15, 1969, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration YA-AAB) operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Kabul, Afghanistan while taxiing. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The precise cause of the collision between the two aircraft at Kabul Airport remains unknown. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Two aircraft operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines collided during ground operations at Kabul Airport, resulting in the total loss of one plane.

What happened

An incident involving a mid-air collision occurred at Kabul Airport between two planes belonging to the operator Ariana Afghan Airlines. The collision involved a Douglas C-47, bearing registration YA-AAB, and a Douglas DC-6, registered YA-DAN.

Following the impact, the aircraft with registration YA-AAB sustained severe damage that rendered it a total loss, as it was deemed beyond repair. In contrast, the Douglas DC-6 (registration YA-DAN) underwent repairs and was returned to service. The incident resulted in zero fatalities and zero injuries to those on site.

Findings

The specific circumstances surrounding how the two aircraft collided remain undetermined, as the exact sequence of events leading to the contact has not been established.

Probable cause

The precise cause of the collision between the two aircraft at Kabul Airport remains unknown.