What happened
During a mission to evacuate British military personnel from Jordan to Habbaniya, an aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure shortly after departure. The flight originated from Aqaba Airport and was approximately seven minutes into its journey when the plane began a left-hand bank before entering a steep dive.
The aircraft subsequently struck the ground in a desert region situated roughly 40 km northeast of Aqaba Airport. The impact triggered a massive explosion, causing the airframe to break apart. There were no survivors among the 27 fatalities recorded on the flight.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the structural integrity of the aircraft was compromised by the failure of the port main spar located on the outer wing. This mechanical failure led to the disintegration of the wing near the fracture point and caused secondary damage to the tail and rear fuselage.
Official reports concluded that the spar failure resulted from over-stressing the component. Investigators noted that intense atmospheric turbulence was present in the area during the flight, which likely subjected the airframe to the excessive loads required to cause such a failure. No evidence of fatigue-related issues was identified during the examination.