What happened
On 7 December, an aircraft departed from Idris Airport, heading toward the Esso (Petroleum Ltd.) camp located at Wadi al Atshan. This journey covered approximately 400 miles. After arriving at the camp, the aircraft completed a local flight lasting roughly 45 minutes.
Following this period, the aircraft was refueled at the Atshan site. The return leg to Idris Airport commenced at 1427LT. The flight was scheduled to land at 1800LT, carrying a total of 6 fatalities among its crew and passengers, consisting of 2 crew members and 4 passengers.
When the aircraft failed to reach its destination as planned, authorities initiated radio communication attempts followed by an extensive search involving both aerial and ground units. The wreckage was discovered the following day. The impact of the crash resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations determined that the accident occurred due to a structural failure within the port wing. Specifically, the forward tube of the "V brace" structure located in the outer panel of the port wing suffered fatigue. This mechanical failure caused the outer panel of the left wing to detach while the aircraft was in flight, leading to an immediate loss of control and a vertical descent into the ground.