Humanitarian | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was engaged in a special flight on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), carrying 20 passengers and two crew members. During the takeoff roll, the crew encountered directional problems and the aircraft deviated to the right of the runway. The crew was able to takeoff when shortly after liftoff, the right wing struck a mast. The airplane nosed down, struck the ground, lost its nose gear and came to rest in a potatoes field. All 22 occupants were evacuated, among them four passengers suffered minor injuries. One people on the ground was killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed the crew encountered problems with the ailerons and the nosewheel steering system due to hydraulic issues.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Vişina: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

YR-BMJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bucharest - Belgrade

MSN:

77310801

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Bucharest-Otopeni on a special flight to Belgrade to collect humanitarian supplies. While in cruising altitude, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Vişina. All seven occupants were killed, among them the British photographer and journalist Ian Parry who was covering the Romanian Revolution.

Probable cause:

The probable cause which determined the crash of the AN-24 aircraft registered YR-BMJ in the day of 28th of December, 1989 near the Vişina village, Dimbovita county is the action of a force outside the aircraft, including the possibility of the impact with a foreign object located outside of it and in its flight trajectory, in the area of the left horizontal stabilizer, which is appreciated to have weakened the structure of the left horizontal stabilizer, to have caused an uncommanded and sudden trim of the horizontal stabilizer and a jam in this position, causing the aircraft to enter a dive and the impossibility of the flight crew to actuate the flight controls [in such a manner] to regain control of the flight trajectory, due to reasons independent of the aircraft as well as the will and actions of the crew.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Gambela: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1989 at 1210 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

RRC Air Service

Registration:

ET-AIL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Addis Ababa - Funyido

MSN:

699

YOM:

1980

Location:

Gambela

Country:

Ethiopia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was on its way from Addis Ababa to a refugee camp in Funyido on a humanitarian mission (food program in Ethiopia). About an hour and thirty minutes into the flight, the aircraft entered an area of poor weather conditions over mountainous terrain. While cruising at an altitude of 3,600 feet, it struck the slope of a mountain located about 30 km southeast from Gambela. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but the wreckage was found a week later in an isolated area. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 16 occupants were killed, among them Thomas Mickey Leland, US Secretary of State.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 near Tegucigalpa: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Albiacion Circulo General

Registration:

HR-AKZ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

44642

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft collided with a mountain about 27 km from the Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. They were completing a humanitarian mission on behalf of USAid.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Yerevan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1988 at 0223 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

YU-AID

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Belgrade - Yerevan

MSN:

01 348 010

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

8388

Aircraft flight cycles:

4727

Circumstances:

The aircraft was approaching Yerevan to drop first aid, medics and various goods for the victims of the recent earthquake. On short final by night, the aircraft was too low and crashed few hundred meters short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the aircraft was approaching Yerevan at an insufficient altitude following wrong information transmitted to the crew by ATC.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76M in Leninakan: 78 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1988 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-76

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-86732

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nasosny AFB – Leninakan

MSN:

0834 13388

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way to Leninakan to drop soldiers, first aid, medics and goods for the victims of the recent earthquake. On final approach at night, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens after it struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from the airport. All 9 crew members and 68 of the 69 passengers were killed. A survivor was found among the debris (he was seating on the deck of a truck parked in the cargo compartment) but unfortunately died the following day.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by an error on part of the crew who set a wrong altimeter pressure prior to descend to Leninakan Airport. The wrong altimeter setting (734 mm instead of 634 mm) caused the aircraft to descent below the minimum prescribed altitude by 1,100 metres.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382G-35C Hercules in Cancao: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1987 at 0705 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

HB-ILF

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Kuito - Benguela

MSN:

4701

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11198

Captain / Total hours on type:

10526.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4682

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1628

Aircraft flight hours:

8772

Aircraft flight cycles:

5708

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was dispatched in Angola on behalf of the International Red Cross. En route from Kuito to Benguela, while climbing to an altitude of 12,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile that struck the engine n°3. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed on the village of Cancao located about 40 km west of Kuito. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and at least eight houses were destroyed. All six occupants were killed as well as two other people on the ground.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The exact type of missile and its origin remain unknown.

Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Luabo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1985

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

United Air Charters

Registration:

Z-WHE

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Luabo Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by ground fire and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. He was completing a flight on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Partenavia P.68 off Kinshasa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Partenavia P.68

Operator:

Zaire Catholic Mission

Registration:

9Q-CEZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

197

YOM:

1979

Location:

Kinshasa-Ndolo

Kinshasa City Province

Country:

Democratic Republic of Congo

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in the Zaire River few hundred meters offshore. The pilot, sole on board, was killed and the aircraft sank.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Dire Dawa

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1981

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

RRC Air Service

Registration:

ET-AGX

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

14644/26089

YOM:

1944

Location:

Dire Dawa-Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma

Dire Dawa City District

Country:

Ethiopia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Dire Dawa-Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma Airport, a tyre burst. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway and lost an undercarriage before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was operated on behalf of the UN's Ethiopian Relief & Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).

Probable cause:

Loss of control on landing after a tyre burst.

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