Liberia

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

N’Djamena – Monrovia

MSN:

4 3 426 10

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, the crew informed ATC about technical problems. The captain realized he could not reach the airport and attempted an emergency landing in an open field located about 11 km from the airfield. On impact, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. A crew member was killed while nine other occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Boeing 707-3B4C in Monrovia

Date & Time: Mar 23, 2001 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Luxor Air

Registration:

SU-BMV

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jeddah – Monrovia

MSN:

20260

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

175

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

55500

Aircraft flight cycles:

27300

Circumstances:

On a night approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, at an altitude of about 600 feet, the crew encountered local patches of fog and visual contact with the runway was momentarily lost by the pilot-in-command. Nevertheless, he decided to continue the approach when the aircraft landed hard on runway 04. The aircraft bounced twice then lost its both right engines. Out of control, it veered off runway and came to rest about 200 metres further. All 182 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Monrovia: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1999 at 2005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 414 Chancellor

Operator:

Gibalco Air Services

Registration:

N373BC

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Harper - Monrovia

MSN:

414-0411

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Harper on a charter flight to Monrovia, carrying five police officers and one pilot. On a night approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 4 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1996 at 1037 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

RA-87573

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Freetown - Monrovia

MSN:

9 22 05 22

YOM:

1972

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Freetown, the three engine aircraft encountered windshear on final approach to Monrovia, lost height and struck the ground 5 metres before the runway threshold (0.8-1 meter below the runway elevation). The left main gear was torn off and the aircraft slid/rolled for about 300 metres before coming to rest. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control on short final after the aircraft encountered windshear.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1995

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

5N-BBA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kano – Lagos – Accra – Monrovia

MSN:

47217

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Monrovia-James Spriggs Payne Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with a visibility limited due to heavy rain falls. On final, the aircraft struck the ground short of runway threshold, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft slid on its belly for about 500 metres before coming to rest on the runway. All 91 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

In poor weather conditions, the crew continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude until the aircraft impacted terrain short of runway threshold. The lack of visibility caused by the heavy rain falls remains a contributing factor, but the crew should have made the decision to initiate a go-around procedure since the landing was obviously missed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1994 at 1058 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

5N-BBE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Banjul – Freetown – Monrovia – Accra – Lagos

MSN:

45872

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

ADK018

Location:

Country:

Region:

Short SC.7 Skyvan Variant

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

62484

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Banjul, Gambia, on an international scheduled service to Lagos with intermediate stops in Freetown, Monrovia and Accra. The approach to Monrovia-James Spriggs Payne Airport runway 23 was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. On final, at a distance of 4 km from the runway threshold, the captain confirmed that visual contact with the runway was established and continued the approach. At an excessive speed, the airplane passed over the runway threshold at a height of 150 feet and landed too far down the runway, about 3,000 feet past its threshold. On a wet runway surface, despite full brakes and reverse thrusts were deployed, the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 80 knots and came to rest 120 metres further, bursting into flames. All 85 occupants were rescued, among them few were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who completed the approach at an excessive speed and well above the glide, causing the aircraft to land too far down runway 23 which is 1,800 metres long. Poor braking action due to wet runway surface was considered as a contributing factor as well as the fact that the crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure as the landing maneuver was obviously missed.

Crash of a Short SC.7 Skyvan 3 Variant 100 in Vahun

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

LX-UGO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1945

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Vahun Airfield, at a height of 40 feet and at a speed of 77 knots, the twin engine aircraft adopted a high sink rate. The captain increased engine power when the aircraft rolled to the right, collided with trees and crashed few hundred metres short of runway. All 13 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Conakry - Monrovia

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport for unknown reasons. All 72 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander in Monrovia: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Registration:

9L-LAV

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Monrovia - Freetown

MSN:

767

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region: