A missile strike disabled a cargo plane's hydraulics, but the crew safely returned it to Baghdad using engine thrust alone.
Missile strikes aircraft wing during takeoff
A surface-to-air missile struck the left wing of an Airbus A300B4-203F cargo aircraft, registered OO-DLL, at an altitude of approximately 2,440 meters during its initial climb from Baghdad International Airport on November 22, 2003. The attack destroyed all three hydraulic systems, rendering the flight controls inoperable.Crew returns aircraft using engine thrust
The aircraft's three crew members returned the plane to Baghdad using only the two engines for control, with no injuries reported. This method involved adjusting power between the engines to steer the aircraft, though it is described as an imprecise and challenging technique.Details of the missile and the attack vary
Accounts differ on the exact location of the missile impact, with some reports indicating the wingtip, others the rear part of the wing, and others suggesting the left main fuel tank and external fire. The missile is most often identified as a SA-14, a portable weapon of Soviet design. One testimony mentions a second shot that missed its target, while other reports mention only one missile.Aircraft lands safely but sustains damage
The A300 landed in Baghdad but exited the runway and came to rest on a sandy shoulder. The aircraft sustained significant damage, particularly to its wing, but all three crew members were unharmed. The event is described as the first accident-free landing of a large commercial aircraft after a total hydraulic failure.Incident becomes part of aviation safety studies
However, no authority had publicly confirmed the landing, and some accounts treat it as an established fact with detailed information, including the awarding of a distinction to the crew. The aircraft was repaired and later sold in 2005. It remained at Baghdad International Airport until the withdrawal of its airworthiness certificate in 2017, after which it was scrapped. The incident remains a case study for aviation safety, highlighting the rarity of overcoming a total hydraulic failure without casualties.
