 An Israeli Air Force Sikorsky CH-53, similar to the aircraft involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 10 May 1977 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain |
| Site | Jordan Valley |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion |
| Operator |  Israeli Air Force |
| Registration | 960 |
| Occupants | 54 |
| Passengers | 44 |
| Crew | 10 |
| Fatalities | 54 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 10 May 1977, an Israeli Air Force Sikorsky CH-53 Yas'ur helicopter crashed during an exercise in the Jordan Valley, killing all 54 on board (including the 10-member flight crew). The disaster became known as Ason HaNun-Daled, or "Disaster of the 54". [1]
Contents
It remains the worst single-aircraft accident in the West Bank. The crash site was in the Jordan Valley, near the Israeli settlement of Na'aran, [2] north of Jericho [3] in a wadi. The cause was determined to be flying at too low an altitude during the dark, which caused the helicopter to strike a hill, crash and explode (CFIT, Controlled flight into terrain).
