Gulf Aviation - Oman

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Shortly after takeoff from Al Azaiba Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck trees, stalled and crashed 500 meters past the runway end. All 20 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The Gulf Aviation DC-3 operated on a return flight from Bahrain to Sharjah via Doha. The DC-3 took off from Doha at 05:16 GMT following a 30-minute stopover. The DC-3 was cleared for FL70 and reported to Bahrain ATC at 06:04 that it was in contact with Sharjah, ETA being 06:45. Last radio contact was one minute later when the flight reported to Sharjah. The pilot of a de Havilland Heron plane, approaching Sharjah at FL50 reported hearing the DC-3 crew trying to contact Sharjah three times. These calls were not heard by Sharjah control and the airplane crashed into the sea off Sharjah in unknown circumstances. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended a week later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 20 occupants was ever found.

De Havilland DH.114 Heron

The aircraft was on a ferry flight from Athens, Greece to Ciampino Airport, Rome - it was being transferred from Bahrain to England to be checked and to undergo certain modifications. It had departed Athens at 1407Z on an IFR flight plan and later reported that it expected to fly over Caraffa at 1730 and requested clearance to fly at a lower level. This clearance was not granted since the flight level requested was below the safety minimum for that route segment. There were no further contacts with the aircraft. It crashed between 1735Z and 1808Z on the southeast slope of Mt Scifarello at a height of approximately 1,730 metres (5 675 ft). The 3 crew aboard were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.