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4 fatalities

Cargo Aircraft Crash on Approach to Damascus Airport (LZ-BTB)

Damascus, SyriaLanding (descent or approach)

On March 23, 1978, a Tupolev TU-154 (registration LZ-BTB) operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Damascus, Syria during landing or approach. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew failed to realize the aircraft's altitude was too low during approach to Damascus Airport, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain on a mountain slope 22 km from the airport. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered LZ-BTB
Aircraft registered LZ-BTB. Photo: Ken Fielding / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A three-engine cargo aircraft crashed into a mountain slope 22 km from Damascus Airport during approach. All four crew members were killed. The flight was from Sofia to Sharjah with a stop in Damascus.

Incident Overview During an approach to Damascus Airport, a three-engine cargo aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 22 kilometers from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact, and all four crew members on board were killed. The crew failed to realize that the aircraft's altitude was too low during the approach phase. ## Flight Details The aircraft was operating a cargo flight from Sofia to Sharjah, with an intermediate stop scheduled in Damascus. The crash occurred while the aircraft was on approach to the Damascus stop. No specific aircraft type, registration, date, or operator is provided in the source material.

Probable cause

The crew failed to realize the aircraft's altitude was too low during approach to Damascus Airport, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain on a mountain slope 22 km from the airport.
Controlled flight into terrain

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 23 Mar 1978 Tupolev TU-154 accident near Damascus, Syria?

A three-engine cargo aircraft crashed into a mountain slope 22 km from Damascus Airport during approach. All four crew members were killed. The flight was from Sofia to Sharjah with a stop in Damascus.

Were there any fatalities in the 23 Mar 1978 Tupolev TU-154 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 4 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 23 Mar 1978 involved a Tupolev TU-154, registration LZ-BTB, operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines, at Damascus, Syria.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The crew failed to realize the aircraft's altitude was too low during approach to Damascus Airport, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain on a mountain slope 22 km from the airport.

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