Intense Video of DHL Airbus Crash Landing After Being Struck by Insurgent SAM

On 11/22/2003, Iraqi insurgents used a Strela MANPAD (Man-Portable Air Defense) to shoot down a DHL Airbus as it departed Baghdad International Airport.

This intense video details the heroic attempt of the DHL flight crew aboard the stricken Airbus to perform an emergency landing.

The Airbus, owned by European Air Transport and operated on behalf of DHL, was hit by a 9K32 Strela-2 shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile (also known as SA-7) while climbing through 8000 feet shortly after departure from Baghdad. The missile struck the wing and penetrated the no. 1A fuel tank. Fuel ignited, burning away a large portion of the wing. To make things worse, the plane lost all hydraulics and the pilots had to attempt a landing back at Baghdad Airport. After a missed approach they were forced to circle the field until they finally landed heavily on runway 33L, 16 minutes later. The Airbus veered off the left side of the runway, travelled about 600 meters through soft sand, struck a razor wire fence and came to rest on a downslope.

This 27 minute video was shot from the gun camera of a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter stationed at Baghdad International Airport with live audio feeds from the Captain aboard the DHL Airbus, air traffic control, and the crew of the Apache Helicopter.

Full post crash landing photo album here: https://imgur.com/a/blJgtvF

Video of Iraqi insurgents shooting down DHL Airbus with a Strela MANPAD:

https://rumble.com/v32akp6-iraqi-insurgents-shoot-down-dhl-airbus-baghdad-international-airport.html