Investigation Summary
The flight was part of a larger military movement to repatriate British troops from Jordan. The aircraft, operated by 84 Squadron, was carrying 24 passengers, primarily from the 10th Royal Hussars, along with members of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and the Army Catering Corps. The flight plan included a scheduled stop at Mafraq Airport in Northern Jordan before proceeding to RAF Habbaniya in Iraq. Witnesses and flight data indicated the aircraft departed at 10:23 local time. At approximately 10:30, while climbing through the mountainous terrain north of Aqaba, the aircraft encountered severe atmospheric disturbances. The Board of Inquiry focused on the port wing, which had separated from the fuselage during the flight. Investigators determined that the port main spar of the outer wing failed due to instantaneous over-stressing rather than progressive fatigue. The failure was so violent that it caused the wing to disintegrate around the fracture point, subsequently causing significant damage to the rear fuselage and tail unit, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. While the turbulence was encountered over high terrain, the wreckage fell in a desert plain or valley area approximately 20 miles north-northwest of the airport and was consumed by a post-crash fire.
Final Conclusions
The Board of Inquiry concluded that the accident was caused by the structural failure of the port main spar of the outer wing. This failure was attributed to extreme air turbulence known to exist in the region at the time of the flight. The investigation explicitly ruled out fatigue failure, stating the spar was over-stressed by environmental forces beyond its design limits.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Main Spar
The primary structural member of the wing designed to carry flight loads; the port spar failed due to over-stressing in turbulence.
Vickers Valetta Airframe
A military transport derivative of the Vickers VC.1 Viking, featuring a reinforced floor and large freight door.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash is the deadliest aviation accident to ever occur in Jordan.
- 02The aircraft was carrying 18 troops from the 10th Royal Hussars, 5 from REME, and 1 from the Army Catering Corps.
- 03The Board of Inquiry found no evidence of metal fatigue in the failed wing spar.
- 04The accident occurred during the evacuation of British forces following the end of the Anglo-Jordanian Treaty.
- 05Official records from the House of Commons and BAAA-Acro confirm 27 fatalities, despite a lower figure of 26 appearing in some databases.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Board of Inquiry Recommendations
Source ↗The Board of Inquiry formally presented its findings to the House of Commons, emphasizing that the structural failure was caused by environmental forces (extreme turbulence) exceeding design limits rather than mechanical or maintenance neglect. The findings served to reinforce operational awareness regarding the severe clear-air turbulence risks in the mountainous regions of Jordan.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Fatality Count Discrepancy
Reference ↗While the Aviation Safety Network (ASN) records 26 fatalities, official British government records (Hansard) and the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (BAAA) confirm 27 personnel were killed (3 crew and 24 passengers). The discrepancy is attributed to user-contributed errors in the ASN database.