Cargo aircraft crash near Ras al-Khaimah

8 fatalities • Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates • Takeoff (climb)

An aircraft operating a cargo flight from Ras al-Khaimah to Mykolaiv crashed into the sea during its initial climb, resulting in eight fatalities.

What happened

A cargo flight departing from runway 34 at Ras al-Khaimah experienced a catastrophic loss of control shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was transporting various goods, including several tons of watermelons, en route to Mykolaiv with a total of eight crew members on board.

During the climb phase, the aircraft reached an altitude of 150 metres while traveling at 365 km/h, before ascending slightly further to 160 metres at 400 km/h. As the crew performed the procedure to retract the flaps in five separate stages, the plane entered a rapid, uncontrolled descent. The aircraft fell at a rate of 12 metres per second and struck the sea at a speed of 485 km/h. The impact occurred approximately 16 km from the airport and roughly 800 metres away from the shoreline. The force of the collision caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and there were eight fatalities.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the aircraft being significantly overloaded beyond its maximum takeoff weight, compounded by high ambient temperatures that degraded performance.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1998-07-13 Ilyushin II-76 accident near Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates?

An aircraft operating a cargo flight from Ras al-Khaimah to Mykolaiv crashed into the sea during its initial climb, resulting in eight fatalities.

Were there any fatalities in the 1998-07-13 Ilyushin II-76 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 8 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1998-07-13 involved a Ilyushin II-76, registration UR-76424, operated by ATI Aircompany, at Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by the aircraft being significantly overloaded beyond its maximum takeoff weight, compounded by high ambient temperatures that degraded performance.

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