Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Freetown

Date & Time: Aug 24, 2000 at 1406 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9L-LBN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Freetown - Freetown
MSN:
851334
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Freetown-Lungi Intl Airport on a short positioning flight to Freetown-Hastings Airport. After takeoff, during initial climb, the twin engine aircraft entered clouds at an altitude of about 500 feet. While exiting the clouds, the crew noticed a Mil Mi-8 helicopter flying nearby. His crew was completing a local flight on behalf of the UNO. The crew of the Let attempted an evasive manoeuvre but the rotor of the helicopter struck the base of the aircraft's tail. The crew managed to return for an emergency landing but the undercarriage partially failed upon landing. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The crew of the helicopter was able to land safely.
Probable cause:
It was established that the crew of the Mi-8T helicopter did not pay attention to the radio communication between the controller and the crew of the L-410 aircraft. The crew of the Mi-8T helicopter was distracted because they were talking about the barge that sank on the coast. This barge was located on the left side of the helicopter, while Lungi Airport and the Let L-410 were on the right side.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in San José: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 2000 at 1304 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YS-09-C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
San José - Tortuguero
MSN:
86 16 20
YOM:
1986
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
7801
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Circumstances:
After takeoff from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, en route to the Tortuguero National Park, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a house located in the district of Rohrmoser, about 3 km southeast of the airport. Four passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured, some seriously. Three people in the house, a nurse and two little girls were uninjured. Fifteen days after the accident, on January 30, the captain died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
Possible loss of longitudinal control of the aircraft in flight, due to not reaching the minimum climb speed, due to a wrong takeoff configuration as the flaps were retracted (zero position).
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Inadequate weight distribution that affected the position of the aircraft.
- The CofG was beyond the rear limit, out of the envelope.
- The crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist.
- The total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW.
- The high density altitude.
- Lack of supervision of the dispatch of the flight by the operator. (Absence of procedures).
- Self-induced pressure from the crew for an expeditious operation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E near Kasibu: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1999 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C3883
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Manila - Cauayan
MSN:
89 22 28
YOM:
1989
Flight number:
RIT100
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport at 0834LT and was supposed to arrive at Cauayan Airport at 0940LT. At 0919LT, the crew reported his position 96 km from the destination. As he encountered favorable winds, the captain informed ATC about an ETA three minutes earlier at 0937LT. At 0930LT, while flying in clouds, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Kasibu, about 77 km southwest of Cauayan Airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E9 in Arusha

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1999 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5H-PAB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Arusha - Arusha
MSN:
96 27 15
YOM:
1996
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12000
Captain / Total hours on type:
700.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Arusha Airport (ARK) at 12:35 hours for a circuit training. It was carrying one instructor, a pilot trainee and three passengers. The aircraft was flying VFR. The instructor said that he intended to execute nine touch and go circuit operations, three of which were to be performed with 42° flaps, another three with 18° flaps and the rest with zero degree flaps. The first six circuits were performed uneventfully. Before initiating the first flapless landing the instructor ordered the trainee to extend his approach and establish a six-mile final to runway 09. When the aircraft was established on the final for runway 09 the instructor saw that the aircraft was a bit too low and ordered the trainee to adjust his approach. After 5H-PAB was established on the approach slope the instructor advised the trainee to call when he needed props fully forward (setting propellers into full coarse pitch). This he subsequently did and the instructor, aware of the relatively high aircraft speed for the configuration advised the trainee to be careful on the flare in order to avoid the possibility of the tail skid hitting the ground. When the aircraft was flared, the tail skid hit and scraped the ground followed by the belly and the nose underside section. After sliding for 164 metres the aircraft came to rest on the runway with the engines still running. The instructor carried out the emergency shut down checks and evacuated the aircraft. It was only after touchdown that the crew realised that they had belly landed. The commander then proceeded to select reverse thrust. There was no fire and none of the occupants was injured. The instructor said that he had forgotten to lower the landing gear because of his preoccupation with the rate of descent and the execution of the flapless flare. The pilot under instruction testified that he had concentrated too much an the technical side of flying to the point of forgetting to call for the gear down selection. There was only one checklist in use in the cockpit which was contained in a book and this was being used by the instructor. The instructor testified to have used the checklist for the first six landings. The checklist was not used for the accident landing. None pilot of the pilots reported to have heard the landing gear horn.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to follow the approach checklist and to lower the landing gear.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E9 in Olkiombo: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1999 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
5Y-LET
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Olkiombo - Mara Shika
MSN:
91 26 20
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Olkiombo Airstrip, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed. They were completing a positioning flight to the Mara Shika Airfield, in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, to pick up passengers.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb after the aircraft stalled because the crew forgot to select flaps in an appropriate angle for takeoff.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Clécy

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1999 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV-956C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Linköping - Porto
MSN:
85 15 15
YOM:
1985
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was ferried from Sweden to its new operator in Venezuela and departed Linköping Airport for Porto, carrying one passenger and two pilots. The aircraft was equipped with 13 metal cans containing fuel secured in the cabin and the fuel transfer to the structural tanks was completed via an electrical pump. While flying over France at an altitude of 5,500 feet, the right engine failed, followed shortly by the left engine. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft rolled for about 400 metres and eventually collided with trees. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both engines failed due to fuel starvation and because the fuel was not properly transferred from the cans installed in the cabin. Prior to departure, the crew calculated the hourly consumption to be 170 litres while the correct consumption was in fact 360 litres per hour.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor flight preparation,
- Wrong calculation of the fuel consumption,
- Poor fuel management,
- Insufficient knowledge of the aircraft performances,
- The installation of the cans had not been approved by the Authority prior to this delivery flight.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in Dhaka

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1998
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
S2-ADD
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ishwardi - Dhaka
MSN:
91 26 18
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Dhaka-Tejgaon Airport at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine they shut down. Few seconds later, the crew was able to restart the right engine but as the temperature of the turbine increased, he shut down the engine again. This time, he was unable to feather the propeller. Due to excessive drag, the aircraft lost height and the captain attempted an emergency landing in an open field. On landing, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine for unknown reasons. Failure of the automatic propeller pitch control mechanism was a contributing factor.