Date & Time:
Sep 2, 1977 at 0838 LT
Type of aircraft:
Canadair CL-44
Operator:
Transmeridian Air Cargo
Registration:
G-ATZH
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hong Kong - Bangkok
MSN:
21
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
KK3751
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
5880
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2153
Aircraft flight hours:
29376
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport runway 13, while climbing, smoke was seen from the rear of number 4 engine. The propeller was feathered and the crew contacted ATC. About a minute after takeoff, the crew requested the permission to return for an emergency landing on runway 31. After being cleared to descend to 2,000 feet, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off the Waglan Island. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four occupants were killed. They were completing a cargo flight from Hong Kong to UK with an intermediate stop in Bangkok.
Probable cause:
A loss of control following in-flight separation of the right-hand outboard wing section and the no.4 engine. These failures followed a no.4 engine failure, an internal engine fire and a fire in the aircraft fuel system eventually resulting in a massive external fire.
Final Report:
G-ATZH.pdf3.72 MB
