Region
Africa

Crash of a Boeing 707-3D3C in Kano: 176 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1973 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
JY-ADO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jeddah - Lagos
MSN:
20494/850
YOM:
1971
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
193
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
176
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Jeddah to Lagos on behalf of Nigeria Airways, carrying Nigerian pilgrims flying back home. En route, the crew was informed about bad weather in Lagos and was rerouted to Kano-Mallam Aminu Kano Airport. On final approach, the pilot-in-command encountered mist when during the last segment, control was lost. The airplane nosed down and struck the runway surface with its nose gear first. On impact, the nose gear collapsed then both main gears touched the ground and punctured the fuel tanks. Out of control, the airplane skidded on runway, lost its both left engines then made a 180 turn before coming to rest in flames. Three crew members and 23 passengers were rescued while 176 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. Up to date, this was the worst plane crash in History.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remain unclear. Nevertheless, it is believed that control was lost on short final due to wake turbulences and the aircraft adopted a nose-down attitude before crashing onto the runway.

Crash of a Fokker F28 Fellowship 1000 in Port Harcourt

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F28 Fellowship
Operator:
Registration:
PH-FPT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
11994
YOM:
1970
Location:
Port Harcourt
Rivers
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1529
Aircraft flight cycles:
1869
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Port Harcourt Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen meters further. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Jos

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AAX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kaduna - Jos
MSN:
10218
YOM:
1963
Location:
Jos
Plateau
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
12959
Aircraft flight cycles:
13133
Circumstances:
Apparently following a wrong approach configuration to runway 28, the aircraft was too high on the glide and landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and eventually collided with gravel piles. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and 34 occupants were injured, seven others were unhurt.

Crash of a Dornier DO.28B-1 in lagos

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.28A/B
Operator:
Registration:
NAF172
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3095
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Landed hard at Lagos-Ikeja Airport for unknown reasons. There were no casualties but the aircraft was irreparable.

Crash of a Vickers VC-10-1101 in Lagos: 87 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1969 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers VC-10
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London - Rome - Kano - Lagos
MSN:
804
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
WT825
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
76
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
87
Aircraft flight hours:
18431
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kano, the crew started the descent to Lagos-Ikeja Airport. The captain was cleared for a straight-in approach but encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions. On final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees and crashed 13 km short of runway 19. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 87 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. The FDR was found undamaged but the British AAIB engineers reported it was unreadable as the data consisted only of a stream of alternating ones and zeros. Apparently there had been a fault in one of the logic units of the system, something which could not be detected from the flight deck. No readable data could be reconstructed from this. Nevertheless, it is believed that the flying crew led the aircraft descending below the minimum safe altitude while still under control.

Crash of a Boeing C-97G-26-BO Stratofreighter in Uli: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1969 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Operator:
Nordchurchaid
Registration:
N52676
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
São Tomé – Uli
MSN:
16707
YOM:
1952
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Uli Airstrip, the four engine aircraft was too low, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located few km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed. They were completing a humanitarian mission on behalf of the International committee of the Red Cross.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation in Uli: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
Operator:
Canairelief
Registration:
CF-NAJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4828
YOM:
1957
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing at Uli Airfield while on a humanitarian mission, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Uli

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
TR-LNV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10397
YOM:
1944
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking off from Uli Airstrip, Biafra. The four crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear but unconfirmed report stated that the crew took off from the wrong runway according to existing conditions.

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:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fernando Po - Uli
MSN:
45401/872
YOM:
1957
Location:
Eket
Akwa Ibom
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
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.

Crash of a Boeing C-97G Stratofreighter in Uli

Date & Time: May 8, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Operator:
Nordchurchaid
Registration:
N52679
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16710
YOM:
1952
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane belly landed at Uli-Annabel Airport, slid for dozen yards and came to rest. Only the captain was slightly injured while all other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was completing a humanitarian mission to Biafra.
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