Flight Details
On 7 December, an aircraft departed from Idris Airport for a flight to Fezzan, approximately 400 miles south, landing at the Esso (Petroleum Ltd.) camp at Wadi al Atshan. While at the camp, the aircraft conducted one local flight lasting 45 minutes. It was then refueled at Atshan and departed at 1427 LT for the return journey to Idris Airport, with two crew members and four passengers on board. The flight was expected to arrive at 1800 LT.
Search and Wreckage
When the aircraft failed to arrive at Idris Airport, a series of radio checks were conducted, followed by an extensive air and surface search. The wreckage was sighted the following day. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and all six occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, the accident resulted from the failure in fatigue of the forward tube of the "V brace" structure in the outer panel of the port wing. This failure caused the outer panel of the port wing to break away from the aircraft in flight. Subsequently, the aircraft became completely uncontrollable and dove vertically to the ground.