Amsterdam – Marseille – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Baghdad – Karachi – Yangon – Singapore – Batavia

On December 20, 1934 at 03:33 AM, Amsterdam – Marseille – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Baghdad – Karachi – Yangon – Singapore – Batavia experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-2, operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, with the event recorded near Rutbah Wells (Ar Rutbah) Al-Anbar (<U+0627><U+0644><U+0623><U+0646><U+0628><U+0627><U+0631>).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a desert crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 4, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. The crew departed Cairo-Almaza Airport at 2330LT bound for Baghdad. While overflying the Iraqi Desert at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Rutbah Wells. On approach, the aircraft was at full power when it impacted the ground in a 17° right bank angle and 12° nose down attitude. The aircraft crashed and exploded some 16 km from the Rutbah Wells Airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed. Crew: Wilhelm Marie Okko Anne Beekman, pilot, Jan Johannes van Steenbergen, copilot, Hendrik Abraham Waalewijn, engineer, Gysbert van Zadelhoff, radio navigator. Passengers: Dominique Willem Berretty, E. W. Walch, Jacob Thymen Kort.

Aircraft reference details include registration PH-AJU, MSN 1317, year of manufacture 1934.