On October 2, 1964, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration YK-ADA) operated by Syrianair - Syrian Arab Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Damascus, Syria during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was unable to decelerate sufficiently before reaching the end of the runway. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A four-engine aircraft experienced a runway excursion following touchdown at Damascus Airport, resulting in significant damage to the airframe.
What happened
During an arrival at Damascus Airport, a four-engine aircraft experienced complications while attempting to decelerate on the runway. Following the initial touchdown, the aircraft was unable to come to a complete stop within the available runway length. This lack of braking distance led to a runway overrun.
As the excursion progressed, the aircraft sustained structural damage, specifically involving the loss of its nose landing gear. The movement eventually ceased when the plane came to a final rest on the airfield. While the incident resulted in no injuries to those on board, the impact and subsequent overrun caused extensive damage, rendering the aircraft a total loss.
Findings
The aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway distance after landing.
The structural integrity of the nose gear was compromised during the overrun.
Probable cause
The aircraft was unable to decelerate sufficiently before reaching the end of the runway.