Tangier-Boukhalef | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Sevilla-San Pablo Airport runway 27, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft suffered a right engine failure. It rolled to the right then lost height and crashed 1,500 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine shortly after rotation. Due to the degree of destruction, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the failure that occurred at a critical stage of flight.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain off Jersey: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1998 at 1842 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Operator:

Rif Air

Registration:

CN-TFP

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tangier - Saint Peter

MSN:

31-7552086

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9100

Aircraft flight hours:

5253

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Tangier on a delivery flight to Saint Peter-La Villiaze, Guernsey Island, where the aircraft should be taken over by another crew to be ferried to Iceland. While approaching the Channel Islands, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems and elected to divert to Jersey Airport. Shortly later, after both engines stopped due to a fuel exhaustion, the plane lost height and crashed in the sea about 3 nm northwest of Jersey Island. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The following causal factors were identified:
- The commander had not made an appropriate allowance for adverse headwind components before or during the flight.
- The aircraft was not carrying sufficient fuel for the intended flight.
- The commander apparently ignored pre-flight and in-flight indications that he should land and refuel in France.
- The commander's chances of survival were adversely affected by not adopting the optimum configuration and heading for ditching.

Final Report:

Crash of a Vickers 807 Viscount in Tangier

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

G-BBVH

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Gibraltar - Tangier

MSN:

281

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Tangier-Boukhalef Airport was completed in heavy rain falls with a wind from 060° gusting at 24 knots. After touchdown on a wet runway, the crew encountered difficulties to decelerate. Following a course of about 1,000 meters on runway 28, the four engine aircraft veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a ditch. All 78 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The assumption that the loss of control was the consequence of aquaplaning was not ruled out.

Crash of a Sud-Est Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N near Tetouan: 106 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1973 at 2210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Operator:

Registration:

OO-SRD

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Paris - Tangier - Casablanca

MSN:

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

106

Circumstances:

The airplane, leased by Sobelair to Royal Air Maroc, was completing a charter flight from Paris to Casablanca with an intermediate stop in Tangier. While descending to Tangier-Boukhalef Airport by night and poor weather conditions, the crew completed a circuit too far to the east when, at an altitude of 2,300 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Mellaline located about 17 km northwest of Tétouan. The wreckage was found a day later and all 106 occupants have been killed. Most of them were Moroccan citizen flying back home for the end of year celebrations. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with thunderstorm activity and a visibility below minimums.

Probable cause:

For unknown reason, the crew extended the outbound procedure turn for runway 28 too far to the east, causing the airplane to descend over mountainous terrain. Due to lack of visibility (below minimums), the crew was unable to see and avoid the mountain. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with thunderstorm activity and the assumption that the flight crew was misled by a possible malfunction of flight instruments whose parameters may have been altered by the presence of static electricity was not ruled out.

Crash of a Convair CV-440-62 Metropolitan off Tangier: 50 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1965 at 1004 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-440 Metropolitan

Operator:

Registration:

EC-ATH

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Malaga – Tangier

MSN:

388

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6140

Copilot / Total flying hours:

13355

Aircraft flight hours:

9015

Circumstances:

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.

Probable cause:

For undetermined reasons, the aircraft stalled at an altitude from which recovery could not be effected.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK in Tangier

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

CN-CCJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

13805/25250

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An undercarriage failed on landing, causing the aircraft to skid. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a SNCASO SO.30P Bretagne in Tangier: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1953

Type of aircraft:

SNCASO SO.30 Bretagne

Operator:

Registration:

F-DABD

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tangier – Casablanca

MSN:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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.

Probable cause:

Engine trouble after takeoff.