Amman Civil Airport (Maṭār ʿAmmān al-Madaniyy, commonly known as Marka International Airport, is located in Marka district, Greater Amman Municipality, Jordan, some north-east of Amman city center. It serves as Amman's a main civil airport for passengers on private flights, and moreover as an aviation education and training hub. It was the main airport for Jordan until Queen Alia International Airport was opened in 1983.
History
The airport was founded in 1950 by the British as a joint military civilian airport. In 2009, Jordan Airports Company officially assumed managerial and operational responsibility for Amman Civil Airport. The company is also entrusted with the development of 8,000 Dunums around Queen Alia International Airport. It mainly serves now as a regional airport servicing domestic and nearby international routes, as well as charter and private VIP flights. In coordination with international specialized consultants, the company has prepared a comprehensive master plan for Amman Civil Airport, which includes several capital projects. The company began the implementation of the first phase of the master plan to develop the facilities at the Airport; in 2012 the VIP Lounge was renovated and operated in a new spirit and a new level of services to position it as one of the most exceptional VIP Terminals in the region. In 2013 the new airport entrance project was delivered and in October 2013 the works started to rehabilitate the arrivals terminal and expand the duty-free shops at the airport, in addition to other several infrastructure and air side projects. The airport is home to Arab Wings airlines and is operational 24 hours a day.
On 9 September 1956, a Jordan International Airlines Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando, registration JY-ABV, crashed into a downhill near the airport while trying to make an emergency landing following mechanical failures during climb out. The plane caught fire and all on board, but 1 passenger survived the accident.
On 22 January 1959, Air Jordan Flight 601, a Convair Convair CV-240-2 registration JY-ACB, crashed 2.8 mls Northwest of Wadi-es-Sir while approaching the airport in adverse weather conditions. All 5 crew members and 6 of the 11 passengers died in the accident making it the worst civilian plane crash in Jordan's soil. The cause was determined as the pilot's decision to fly below the minimum prescribed altitude to make visual contact with the ground in adverse weather conditions.
On 30 June 1973, Aeroflot Armenia Flight 512, a Tupolev 134A registration CCCP-65668, overshot the runway and hit a house during takeoff from the airport killing 2 crew members and 7 people from the building, the other 5 crew members and 78 passengers survived. The cause was determined as the crew's decision to abort the take off at a speed of 265 km/h because the captain had the impression that the speed dropped due to the failure of one engine.
On 23 September 1977, a Learjet 36A operated by Arab Wings, registration JY-AFC, impacted the ground in an inverted position on hard ground approximately 8 feet north of the parallel taxiway due to fuel imbalance during takeoff. All 4 on board were killed.
On 1 May 2006, a Royal JordanianAir Academy Piper Pa-28-181 stalled and crashed while trying to make an emergency landing to runway 06 when the plane's engine lost power during initial climb. Both pilots and their passenger died as a result of the crash.
