Lake Manyara

After touchdown at Lobo Airstrip deserving the Lobo Wildlife Lodge located in the Serengeti National park, the single engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest against a tree. The pilot and two passengers were injured while eight other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. There was no fire.

En route to Zanzibar, while cruising at an altitude of 21,000 feet, the right engine failed. The pilot decided to divert to Arusha Airport when few minutes later, while passing 16,000 feet on descent, the left engine failed as well. The pilot attempted to ditch the aircraft into Lake Manyara. The aircraft belly landed and came to rest in shallow water, bent in two. All seven occupants were rescued by fishermen and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight starting from its base at Arusha. It was to call at Lake Manyara, Klein’s Camp, Grumet and Seronera before returning to Arusha via Lake Manyara. 5H-MUA took off from Arusha at 0530 hours. It was carrying one pilot and 3 passengers. The VFR flight to Lake Manyara was uneventful and the aircraft landed at Lake Manyara at 0555 hours. Five more passengers joined the flight here and 5H-MUA subsequently took off for Klein’s Camp at 0615 hours. During initial climb, the engine failed. The pilot feathered the propeller and attempted an emergency landing on a road. But he was forced to make an evasive manoeuvre because of a truck. The aircraft lost speed and height, collided with a stone wall beside the road and came tor rest. All nine occupants were rescued, among them five were seriously injured.

Upon landing at Lake Manyara, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its nose for few dozen meters before coming to rest. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, somewhere in 1980.