Status:
Datum:	14 MRT 1972
Tijd:	18:04
Type:	Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10B3
Luchtvaartmaatschappij:	Sterling Airways
Registratie:	OY-STL
Constructienummer:	267
Bouwjaar:	1970
Bemanning:	slachtoffers: 6 / inzittenden: 6
Passagiers:	slachtoffers: 106 / inzittenden: 106
Totaal:	slachtoffers: 112 / inzittenden: 112
Schade:	Vernield
Gevolgen:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Plaats:	ca 20 km W of Kalba (Verenigde Arabische Emiraten)
Fase:	Kruisvlucht (ENR)
Soort vlucht:	Internationale charter
Vliegveld van vertrek:	Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB/VCBI), Sri Lanka
Vliegveld van aankomst:	Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB), Verenigde Arabische Emiraten
Vluchtnummer:	296

Beschrijving:
Sterling Flight 296 was a charter service from Colombo (CMB) to Copenhagen (CPH), Denmark. A refueling stop was planned at Dubai (DXB). The Caravelle jet was cleared for a straight-in VOR approach to runway 30. The crew descended out of FL135 until the plane struck a mountain ridge at 1600 feet.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Descended below minimum prescribed altitude, probably because the pilots thought they were closer to Dubai than they actually were, due to incorrect information on the outdated flight plan and/or due to a misreading of the weather radar.

Bronnen:
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com