ASN Aircraft accident Canadair C-4 Argonaut G-ALHL Tripoli-Idris Airport (TIP)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 21 September 1955
Time:22:23 UTC
Type:Silhouette image of generic argt model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Canadair C-4 Argonaut
Operator:British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC
Registration: G-ALHL
MSN: 158
First flight:
Engines: 4 Rolls-Royce Merlin 622
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 7
Passengers:Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 40
Total:Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 47
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Tripoli-Idris Airport (TIP) (   Libya)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Roma-Ciampino Airport (CIA/LIRA), Italy
Destination airport:Tripoli-Idris Airport (TIP/HLLT), Libya
Narrative:
The Argonaut had taken off from London for a flight to Kano. Following a scheduled stop at Rome, the aircraft continued to Tripoli. Visibility was poor at Tripoli and strong winds existed as the aircraft approached the airfield. The first three attempts to land had to be rejected. On the fourth attempt to land, the aircraft descended too low and struck trees some 1200 feet short of runway 11. A crash followed.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was a result of an error of judgement on the part of the captain who having made three unsuccessful attempts to line-up and land on runway 11 on his fourth attempt allowed his desire to keep the runway lights in view to effect his judgement, in that during a visual approach to the runway he failed to make adequate reference to his flight instruments. In the restricted visibility the runway lights gave him insufficient guidance as to attitude, height and angle of approach and unknowingly he permitted the aircraft to descend below its correct approach path."

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 50-AN/45 (183-187)


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Roma-Ciampino Airport to Tripoli-Idris Airport as the crow flies is 1010 km (631 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Canadair C-4

  • 71 built
  • 9th loss
  • 2nd fatal accident
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 5th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

 Libya
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 10th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

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