Malabo | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four engine aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Glasgow-Prestwick to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, with intermediate stops in Ghardaïa and Tamanrasset. On board were seven crew members and a load consisting of oil equipment. About three minutes after takeoff from Tamanrasset-Aguenar-Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport, radio contact was lost when the aircraft crashed in a mountainous terrain located some 15 km south of the airport. The wreckage was found few hours later. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all seven crew members (six Ukrainians and one Russian) were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B near Malabo: 60 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 2005 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Equatair

Registration:

3C-VQR

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Malabo – Bata

MSN:

7 99 011 04

YOM:

1967

Location:

Malabo

Bioko Norte Province (Malabo)

Country:

Equatorial Guinea

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Malabo Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain sufficient height. It continued in a flat attitude until it impacted a hillside located about 19 km east of the airport, near Baney. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 60 occupants were killed, among them several students flying to the continent for holidays.

Probable cause:

It was reported that the manifest showed a total of 35 passengers instead of 54. The aircraft, bought by Aerolineas de Guinea Ecuatorial in February 2002, was supposed to have its 1,000-hours maintenance check around January 2004, but due to financial problems, the company was unable to comply. The aircraft was sold to Equatair without the appropriate maintenance program completed in due time.

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 100 off Bata: 22 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1987 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Casa 212 Aviocar

Operator:

Registration:

T.12B-32

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bata - Malabo

MSN:

YOM:

1976

Location:

Bata

Litoral Province (Bata)

Country:

Equatorial Guinea

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Bata Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency and elected to return. Unfortunately, an emergency landing was not possible as another aircraft was blocking the runway according to ATC. While returning, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in the sea few hundred meters offshore. The wreckage was found in shallow water and all 22 occupants were killed. The right engine apparently failed during initial climb and was not functioning at impact.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154A near Malabo: 45 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1976 at 0748 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-154

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85102

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Luanda – Malabo – N’Djamena – Tripoli – Moscow

MSN:

75A102

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

SU418

Location:

Malabo

Bioko Norte Province (Malabo)

Country:

Equatorial Guinea

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2119

Aircraft flight cycles:

1069

Circumstances:

While flying at an altitude of 4,200 metres from Luanda to Malabo, the crew received the last weather briefing for Malabo Airport and was cleared to descent for a landing on runway 05. ATC requested the crew to report once runway 05 in sight and the crew gave his ETA four minutes later at 0752LT. While approaching at an altitude of 750 metres and at a speed of 490 km/h, the airplane struck the south slope of Mt San Carlos located 48 km southwest of Malabo Airport. The wreckage was sighted by the pilot of the personal helicopter of the Equatorial Guinea President five days later, on June 6. SAR teams were dispatched and arrived on scene on June 18 only. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 45 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. ATC assistance was considered as good, all necessary information were transmitted to the crew and ATC was not the cause of the accident. The assumption that the aircraft radar was not operating at the time of the accident was not ruled out. Possible erroneous calculation on part of the crew may cause the aircraft to descent prematurely and to fly on the wrong path to runway 05. In consequence, the accident may be the result of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7B in Eket: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-7

Operator:

Registration:

SE-ERP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Fernando Po - Uli

MSN:

45401/872

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Fernando Po (Equatorial Guinea) on a humanitarian flight to Uli, carrying various goods on behalf of the International Red Cross Committee of the Red Cross. While in cruising altitude, the four engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Nigerian Air Force MiG-17 and crashed. All four crew members were killed.