Colombo – Bombay – Dubai – Ankara – Copenhagen

On March 14, 1972 at 08:04 PM, Colombo – Bombay – Dubai – Ankara – Copenhagen experienced a crash involving Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle, operated by Sterling Airways, with the event recorded near Fujairah Fujairah (<U+0627><U+0644><U+0641><U+062C><U+064A><U+0631><U+0629><U+200E>).

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

112 people were known to be on board, 112 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 106, passenger fatalities: 106, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Bombay at 33,000 feet, the crew contacted Dubai control to obtain the latest weather bulletin: wind from 040° at 8 knots, visibility 10 km and 5/8 clouds at 2,000 feet. Approaching via radial 084, the crew was informed he will be able to start the descent at 1955LT. However, at 1949LT (six minutes too early), the crew informed ATC he was ready for the descent as his position was 95 NM from Dubai. At that moment, the plane was in fact 162 NM from the destination but the crew was not aware of it. After being cleared to descend at 4,000 feet, pilots were informed that they may choose either Runway 30 or 12, to which they respond that they will attempt a direct approach on Runway 30. By night, the captain thought he was seeing the lights of the city of Dubai when they are actually those of Fujairah located 95 km east. Despite that the crew had difficulties to tune into NDB frequency, the crew continued the descent when, at an altitude of 1,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain. The wreckage was about 92 kilometers east of Dubai Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 112 occupants were killed, among them 74 Danish whom six crew members, 20 Swedish, 12 Norwegians, four Finns and two West Germans.

Aircraft reference details include registration OY-STL, MSN 267, year of manufacture 1970.