Malawi | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft departed South Africa on a flight to Tanzania with intermediate stops in Tete and Lilongwe, carrying one passenger and one pilot. The aircraft was en route to Dar es-Salaam to perform a Lidar (Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging) mission. En route, the pilot encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing. Upon landing in an open field, the aircraft lost its tail and crashed landed about 45 km southwest of Lilongwe. Both occupants were rescued and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Lake Malawi

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 402

Operator:

Sky Tours - Mozambique

Registration:

C9-MJB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

402B-0553

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an engine failure, the aircraft crashed in the Lake Malawi. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Beechcraft C90 King Air in Blantyre: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

7Q-YMM

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Blantyre - Blantyre

MSN:

LJ-880

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew (one instructor and one pilot under training) departed Blantyre-Chileka Airport on a local training flight. Few minutes after takeoff, the instructor shut down the right engine to simulate a failure and the crew continued the flight when, shortly later, the left engine lost power and failed. The crew elected to restart the right engine but without success. In a such situation, the pilots decided to return to Blantyre Airport when, on final approach, the aircraft stalled and crashed 1,300 meters short of runway. One pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Defender in Chikala Hills

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Malawi Police Air Wing

Registration:

7Q-YAX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

792

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 in Zomba: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1980

Type of aircraft:

IAI Arava 201

Operator:

Umbufto Swaziland Defence Force

Registration:

3D-DAB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a delivery flight from Israel to Manzini-Matsapha Airport, Swaziland. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine airplane crashed in Zomba, Malawi. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Defender in Malawi

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Malawi Police Air Wing

Registration:

7Q-YAZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

MSN:

492

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Malawi. Occupant's fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK near Blantyre: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1958 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

476560/F-RAST

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Paris – Blantyre – Antananarivo

MSN:

16144/32892

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from from Blantyre-Chileka Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Chiradzulu located about 21 km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Georges Mercier,
Lt Jacques Laguibe,
Adj Bernard Moreau,
Adj Louis Coudray,
Adj Georges Babylé,
M/Sgt Georges Moreau.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Lunzu

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1956

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

VP-YIM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lilongwe – Blantyre

MSN:

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Blantyre, the pilot encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions and decided to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane hit a tree and crashed in Lunzu, about 6 km northeast of the Chileka Airport. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all five occupants were injured.