London – Luqa – Cairo – Basra – Karachi – New Delhi – Calcutta

On July 16, 1947 at 10:40 PM, London – Luqa – Cairo – Basra – Karachi – New Delhi – Calcutta experienced a crash involving Avro 685 York, operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC, with the event recorded near Shaibah AFB (Basrah) Al-Basrah (<U+0627><U+0644><U+0628><U+0635><U+0631><U+0629>).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

18 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 12 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 33.3%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Enroute from Cairo to Basra, the crew was informed by ATC about poor weather in Basra and was instructed to divert to the Shaibah AFB located east of Basra. On approach by night, the pilot was unable to locate the runway and was forced to abandon the landing procedure for a go around. A second attempt to land and a third approach few minutes later were abandoned as well. During the fourth trial, the captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the four engine aircraft hit the ground and bounced. It gain few meters, flew over a wooded area and eventually stalled and crashed 740 yards further, in a desert area. All six crew members were killed while 12 passengers were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-AGNR, MSN 1219, year of manufacture 1945.