What happened
While attempting to navigate through a severe storm, the crew of a C4 formation aircraft encountered heavy weather that significantly increased their fuel consumption. As a result, the plane ran out of fuel before reaching its destination, causing them to overshoot Tripoli. The pilot managed to transmit their coordinates prior to performing an emergency landing in the desert.
During the landing sequence, the propeller became detached from the aircraft. Following the touchdown, the crew attempted to use a lifeboat for survival; however, while maneuvering the craft, the lifeboat was punctured by a piece of debris from the wreckage lying on the ground. Despite these complications, all members of the crew were rescued approximately 30 minutes after the incident.
Findings
Investigation into the incident determined that the primary reason for the emergency landing was fuel exhaustion caused by the unexpected flight duration required to bypass storm conditions.