Tangier

The twin engine aircraft departed Tangier on a flight to Ouarzazate, carrying three Police Officers and two pilots on behalf of the Royal Moroccan Police (Gendarmerie Royale Marocaine). While cruising by night between Demnate and Ouarzazate, the aircraft struck a mountain slope and crashed. The wreckage was found two days later in an isolated area. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five occupants were killed. For unknown reasons, the crew was flying at an insufficient altitude.

While on a cargo flight, the crew got lost after he encountered a sandstorm. When both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft took off from Malaga, Spain, at 0733 hours GMT, on a non- scheduled international flight to Tangier, Morocco, and return. Meteorological conditions were good as far as Gibraltar; however, the aircraft encountered conditions which were below the general minima north-west of Tangier. The crew first contacted Tangier control tower at 0755 hours, estimating Tangier at 0805 hours. The 0720 hours weather observation was then passed to the crew. At 0758 hours the crew was informed that the Tangier VOR was inoperative and two minutes later they were requested to report at 2 500 ft over the TW locator or field in sight. At 0802 hours they were provided with the 0750 hours weather observation together with the latest QNH (1 024 mb) and QFE (1 022 mb). This was acknowledged by the crew at 0803 hours. All subsequent calls from Tangier control tower remained unanswered. It was subsequently found that the aircraft had crashed at about 0804 hours into the sea, approximately 10 NM off the Moroccan coast. Three passengers were rescued while 50 other occupants were killed.

At 1759 hours the aircraft was in contact with Barajas Control Tower and reported normal flight and that the airport was in sight. It requested landing data and asked that the ILS be turned onto test the airborne installation in the prevailing visual meteorological conditions. Barajas replied: "Runway 33, wind calm, QNH 30.13, report on reaching base leg, ILS out of order". At 1803 the aircraft called the Paracuellos Area Control Centre asking for emergency entry clearance as its left engine was on fire. It was given absolute priority for the use of any runway. That was the last contact with the aircraft. Shortly thereafter an engine fell clear, and 30 seconds later an intense light was seen caused by a fire accompanied by columns of black smoke. After making a turn the aircraft began to lose height rapidly and fell to the ground near Getafe. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and all 21 occupants have been killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Tangier-Boukhalef Airport, while in initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with the engine. The captain decided to land asap. The airplane crash landed past the runway end, between the airport and the ocean. A passenger was killed in the accident.

The airplane departed Tangier at 1430LT on a flight to Casablanca, carrying three passengers and two crew members. The aircraft was spotted over Asilah around 1500LT. About half an hour later, while cruising along the coast, the airplane crashed in the sea about 20 km south of Larache. Few debris such a wheel and elements from the landing gear were found few days later. No trace of the five occupants was ever found.