Incident Overview
A flight originating from Udine and destined for Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli (present-day Mitiga) ended with the aircraft being abandoned over a desert area south of Gharyan. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact.
Sequence of Events
For reasons that remain unknown, the aircraft continued its flight southward instead of proceeding toward its intended destination. After exhausting its fuel supply, all 24 occupants made the decision to bail out. They abandoned the aircraft, which subsequently dove into the ground and crashed approximately 48 kilometers south of Gharyan.
Aftermath
All 24 occupants were rescued after landing in the desert. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be: Aircraft abandoned following a fuel exhaustion.