Date & Time:
Mar 29, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viking
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YEY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Blantyre – Dar es Salaam
MSN:
168
YOM:
1947
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
8
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
While cruising, the twin engine aircraft encountered poor weather conditions with turbulences and strong winds, disintegrated in the air and crashed near Mkwaya, killing all 13 occupants.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the type of grease used when fitting press fit bolts to the booms had caused corrosion nodes, thus weakening the lower starboard boom at the outboard bolt hole. The gust of wind caused a fracture of this boom outboard of Station 141, followed by the complete disintegration of the aircraft.
