The Accident
The aircraft departed Aqaba Airport as part of an evacuation mission for British troops from Jordan. Approximately seven minutes after takeoff, the airplane banked to the left, entered a dive, and crashed in a desert area roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Aqaba Airport. The impact resulted in a huge explosion and the aircraft disintegrated. All 27 occupants on board were killed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
Investigators determined that the accident was caused by the failure of the port main spar of the outer wing. This failure led to the disintegration of the wing around the fracture and subsequent damage to the rear fuselage and tail. The investigation board concluded that the spar failure resulted from over-stressing, which they attributed to extreme air turbulence known to have existed in the area at the time. The board noted that no evidence of fatigue failure was found.