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4 fatalities

Cargo Flight from Cairo to Beirut Crashes After Icing and Turbulence (SU-AJG)

Zifta, EgyptFlight

On January 15, 1968, a Douglas DC-3 (registration SU-AJG) operated by United Arab Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Zifta, Egypt in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was due to ice accretion on the lifting surfaces of the aircraft accompanied by moderate to severe turbulence, which resulted in loss of aircraft control by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A non-scheduled international cargo flight from Cairo to Beirut crashed after the crew reported icing and turbulence. All four occupants were killed. The aircraft was overloaded and cargo shifting contributed to the accident.

Flight Details and Weather Conditions The aircraft was scheduled to perform a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Cairo to Beirut. Before departure, the operator's chief of the ground operations shift informed the pilot-in-command that bad weather was prevailing both on the route and at Beirut Airport. This information was confirmed by the crew of another aircraft that had arrived from Beirut at 0200 hours local time. The pilot-in-command then visited the weather office and was informed that the en-route weather was very bad, with low and medium altitude clouds, including cumulonimbus extending from 550 m to 8,500 m. Moderate to severe icing and turbulence within these clouds were highly probable. A SIGMET had been issued at 0115 hours. The pilot obtained copies of two SIGMETS issued by Cairo and Beirut and decided to delay departure until 0700 hours, expecting weather improvement. Despite the aircraft having no de-icing equipment, it departed Cairo at 0721 hours.

Probable cause

The accident was due to ice accretion on the lifting surfaces of the aircraft accompanied by moderate to severe turbulence, which resulted in loss of aircraft control by the pilot. When he tried to regain control over the aircraft the lifting surfaces were loaded beyond the approved design limits, which brought about the disintegration of main parts of the aircraft in the air, and its subsequent impact with the ground and the death of all members of the crew. Contributing factors included the aircraft load exceeding the approved load by about 500 kg and the probable shifting of the cargo and the resulting effect on the aircraft's centre of gravity.
Icing

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 Jan 1968 Douglas DC-3 accident near Zifta, Egypt?

A non-scheduled international cargo flight from Cairo to Beirut crashed after the crew reported icing and turbulence. All four occupants were killed. The aircraft was overloaded and cargo shifting contributed to the accident.

Were there any fatalities in the 15 Jan 1968 Douglas DC-3 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 4 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 Jan 1968 involved a Douglas DC-3, registration SU-AJG, operated by United Arab Airlines, at Zifta, Egypt.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was due to ice accretion on the lifting surfaces of the aircraft accompanied by moderate to severe turbulence, which resulted in loss of aircraft control by the pilot. When he tried to regain control over the aircraft the lifting surfaces were loaded beyond the approved design limits, which brought about…

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