Date & Time:
Aug 7, 1980 at 0304 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
YR-TPH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bucharest – Nouadhibou
MSN:
78A277
YOM:
1978
Country:
Mauritania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
162
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On a night approach to Nouadhibou Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility. When the aircraft reached the decision height of 300 feet on final, a missed approach procedure was initiated when the captain thought he had a visual contact with the runway. He decided to continue the approach when the airplane contacted water and crashed into the sea less than one km short of runway threshold. A passenger was killed while 18 others were injured. The airplane was destroyed,
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain (water) after the crew continued the approach after passing the decision height in marginal and limited visibility.
