On 2 December 1977, a Tupolev Tu-154 passenger jet ran out of fuel and crashed near Benghazi, Libya. A total of 59 passengers were killed.[1][2]
.jpg) LZ-BTN, the aircraft involved, seen in May 1977, while operating for Balkan Bulgarian Airlines | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 December 1977 |
| Summary | Fuel exhaustion |
| Site | Near Benghazi, Libya |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Tupolev Tu-154 |
| Operator | Libyan Arab Airlines leased from Balkan Bulgarian Airlines |
| Registration | LZ-BTN |
| Flight origin | King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia |
| Destination | Benina International Airport, Libya |
| Passengers | 159 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 59 |
| Survivors | 106 |
Aircraft
The aircraft was a Tu-154A registered LZ-BTN and had its first flight in 1974.[3] It was one of six Tu-154s to be leased by Libyan Arab Airlines from Balkan Bulgarian Airlines for that year's pilgrim flights to Mecca for the Hajj.[3][4]
Accident
The aircraft took off from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia on a flight to Benina International Airport in the Libyan city of Benghazi with a crew of six and 159 passengers – pilgrims returning to Libya from the Hajj – on board.[3] Egyptian airspace was closed to Libyan aircraft at the time, necessitating an indirect route to Benghazi instead of the direct route across Egypt; the crew reportedly did not plan for the longer flight time, leaving the aircraft short of fuel.[5] As the aircraft neared Benghazi heavy fog blanketed the airport and the crew could not land the aircraft.[3] After failing to locate the alternate airport the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed during the crew's subsequent attempt to make an emergency landing, killing 59 passengers.[3][6]
See also
References
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