No fatalities

1976-11-22: Short SC.7 Skyvan Variant (A4O-SI) — Gulf Air — Das Island, United Arab Emirates

Das Island, United Arab EmiratesFlight

On November 22, 1976, a Short SC.7 Skyvan Variant (registration A4O-SI) operated by Gulf Air was involved in an aviation accident near Das Island, United Arab Emirates in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failed for reasons that have not yet been identified. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781228654Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered A4O-SI
Aircraft registered A4O-SI. Photo: Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A cargo flight traveling from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi experienced an engine malfunction, leading to a water landing near Das Island.

What happened

During a scheduled cargo operation flying from Bahrain toward Abu Dhabi-Al Bateen Airport, the aircraft encountered a mechanical issue while cruising over the Persian Gulf. The flight crew reported an engine failure during the cruise phase of the mission.

In response to the loss of power, the crew initiated a descent to lower their altitude. As the situation progressed, the decision was made to perform a ditching maneuver in the sea. The aircraft went down in the waters located approximately 160 km northwest of Abu Dhabi, near Das Island.

Following the impact with the water, emergency response efforts were successful in retrieving both occupants of the plane. While there were zero fatalities among the crew, the aircraft subsequently sank to the seabed and is currently considered lost.

Findings

Official investigations into the incident concluded that the primary factor was an engine failure, though the specific underlying reason for the mechanical malfunction remains undetermined.

Probable cause

The engine failed for reasons that have not yet been identified.