Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 40 in Khartoum

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Sabreliner 40
Operator:
Essam al-Ridi
Registration:
N7143N
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Khartoum - Khartoum
MSN:
265-70
YOM:
1962
Location:
Khartoum
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
In 1992 an Egyptian-American airline pilot, Essam al-Ridi, was tasked to purchase a light aircraft on behalf of Osama bin Laden who wanted to use it to ferry among other Stinger missiles from Afghanistan to Sudan. The aircraft was purchased and ferried to Khartoum, Sudan, where it was parked for a long period of time. In 1994 al-Ridi was asked to prepare the plane to be used. It appeared that the tires had deflated, the engine intakes and exhaust were full of sand and the batteries were dead. The tires were inflated and the hydraulics were charged with hydraulic fluid only, without using any nitrogen. The engines were started and the aircraft took off for a test flight. After flying three touch and goes the aircraft landed. The main braking system failed and the alternate braking system did not work either. Fuel was cut off and the engines were shut down. The aircraft failed to stop and traveled off the runway at a speed of 60 knots until it ran into a sandpile. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was left behind at Khartoum.
Source: ASN and http://cryptome.org/usa-v-ubl-05.htm

Crash of a Boeing 707-324C in São Paulo

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1994 at 1742 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
HK-3355X
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Campinas - Santa Cruz
MSN:
18886
YOM:
1965
Location:
São Paulo-Guarulhos
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Campinas-Viracopos Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and was cleared to divert to São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport for an emergency landing. On final, both main landing gears were lowered but apparently not locked while the nose gear remained stuck in its main wheel. Upon touchdown on runway 09L, the aircraft sank on its belly and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the hydraulic pump n°2 on the engine n°3 failed after takeoff, causing an oil leak and a loss of hydraulic pressure. The undercarriage could be lowered but not locked down while the crew attempted to lower the nose gear manually but doing so, caused the locking pin to obstruct and damage the landing gear extension system. It was also reported that several seals located on hydraulic lines were broken and have not been replaced during the last C check.

Crash of an Antonov AN-32B in Mitú

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1994 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Registration:
HK-3929X
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Villavicencio - Mitú
MSN:
33 01
YOM:
1992
Location:
Mitú-Fabio Alberto León Bentley
Vaupés
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On short final to Mitú-Fabio A. León Bentley Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft landed 8 metres short of runway. It bounced and landed a second time 300 metres past the runway threshold. Upon touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. Out of control, the aircraft veered off runway to the right, slid through the apron and eventually collided with a parked Satena PC-6, broken in two. All five crew members were injured as well as two technicians working on the PC-6.

Crash of an Antonov AN-8 in Elista

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1994 at 1136 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-8
Operator:
MAP Kaluga Motors
Registration:
RA-59504
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kaluga - Yerevan - Elista - Kaluga
MSN:
0B3480
YOM:
1960
Location:
Elista
Republic of Kalmykia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
14447
Aircraft flight cycles:
6880
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Elista Airport, while climbing to the altitude of 2,000 metres, the crew reported to ATC that a fire erupted in the cargo compartment and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. The crew was able to extinguish the fire but several hydraulic lines were severed and the crew was unable to lower the undercarriage while the flaps could be extended in a 10° angle only. The aircraft belly landed and slid on runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 24 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Vanavara: 28 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1994 at 1738 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Cheremshanka Airlines
Registration:
RA-87468
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Krasnoyarsk - Tura
MSN:
9 44 13 37
YOM:
1974
Location:
Vanavara
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Aircraft flight hours:
22203
Aircraft flight cycles:
17220
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Krasnoyarsk, the crew was approaching Tura Airport when he encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility upon arrival. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the crew decided to initiate a go-around and followed a holding pattern. Two other approaches were abandoned during the following minutes. Eventually, the crew decided to divert to Vanavara Airport which is located 450 km southeast of Tura. Following a total flight time of 3 hours and 45 minutes, while descending to Vanavara Airport, all three engines stopped simultaneously. The captain attempted an emergency landing in a cleared area when the aircraft struck trees at a speed of 235 km/h. Out of control, it crashed on the shore of the Chamba river, coming to rest upside down. The wreckage was found 41 km north-northwest of Vanavara and all 28 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that all three engine failed simultaneously due to a fuel exhaustion. Following a poor flight planning, the crew decided to chose Vanavara as the alternate airport (450 km from Tura) while the airport of Baykit was located 110 km from Tura and weather conditions were good at this time.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew incorrectly calculated the total amount of fuel necessary for the request flight and the alternate airport,
- The crew was unaware of the deterioration of the weather conditions in Tura after the ground personnel based at Tura Airport failed to conduct efficient observations and inform the crew accordingly,
- The deviation, allowed by crew during the first straight-in approach, which was caused, probably, by short-term de-energizing of the Outer Marker beacon and by incorrect determination by the crew of removal to VPP under these conditions,
- Failure of the crew to monitor the approach pattern parameters during the second and third approaches to Tura Airport in below minimums visibility,
- The crew started the descent to Vanavara Airport prematurely following a wrong flight altitude selection.

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S off Vestmannaeyjar: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1994 at 2102 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500
Operator:
Eagle Air International
Registration:
N9082N
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Biggin Hill – Reykjavik
MSN:
500-3068
YOM:
1970
Location:
Vestmannaeyjar
Southern Region (Suðurland)
Country:
Iceland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was repatriating the aircraft from Kinshasa, Zaire, to the US. On the leg from Biggin Hill to Reykjavik, while approaching the Icelandic coast, the left engine failed. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared to divert to Vestmannaeyjar Airport. While circling for landing, the right engine failed as well. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in the sea few km offshore. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the cause of the dual engine failure was the presence of a foreign material in the airframe fuel filters, causing restriction of the fuel flow and fuel starvation to both engines.

Crash of a BAc 111-515FB in Tamanrasset: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1994 at 0807 LT
Type of aircraft:
BAc 111
Operator:
Oriental Airlines
Registration:
5N-IMO
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:
Tunis - Tamanrasset - Lagos
MSN:
229
YOM:
1970
Location:
Tamanrasset
Tamanrasset
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Tunis to Lagos with an intermediate stop in Tamanrasset, carrying members of the Nigerian football team Iwanwanyu returning to Lagos after a matched played in Tunis for the Africa Cup. On approach to Tamanrasset-Aguenar Airport in the early morning, the crew encountered poor visibility due to haze. As he was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Following a holding pattern, the crew abandoned two other approaches and after 83 minutes, he eventually attempted a fourth landing when, on short final, the aircraft collided with approach lights then a pylon and a truck before coming to rest by the runway. Two passengers and three crew members were killed while 34 other occupants were injured, some seriously.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 near Georgetown

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Kayman Sankar Aviation
Registration:
8R-GGU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Georgetown-Cheddi Jagan - Georgetown-Ogle
MSN:
251
YOM:
1971
Location:
Georgetown
Demerara-Mahaica
Country:
Guyana
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Sole on board, the pilot was completing a cargo flight from Georgetown-Cheddi Jagan Airport to Georgetown-Ogle Airport. While descending to Ogle Airport by night, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located few km south of Georgetown. The wreckage was found few hours later. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot Gerry Gouveia was seriously injured. The accident occurred somewhere in September 1994 (exact date unknown).

Crash of a Piper PA-60P Aerostar (Ted Smith 602P) in Port Huron

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1994 at 0846 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600)
Operator:
Registration:
C-FSMO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stratford – Chicago
MSN:
62-0875-8165014
YOM:
1981
Location:
Saint Clair County (Port Huron)
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1174
Captain / Total hours on type:
42.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1841
Circumstances:
As the airplane approached 22,000 feet, the pilot reported that both engines stopped running within seconds of each other. During the emergency landing approach the airplane collided with trees. Onscene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engines. The fuel system was empty, other than traces of fuel found in the left and right engine's fuel injector servos and flow dividers. Both wing fuel tank caps o-rings were hardened and had flat spots on them. The caps' opening tabs were able to be opened at 8 and 3 lbs of force, respectively. The company holding the airplane's type certificate states an opening force of 16 lbs of force is required. The company's annual inspection checklist requires that the tabs be checked. No record of this being accomplished was found in the airframe logbook. The pilot operating handbook states that the fuel cap tab tension must be checked during the preflight inspection.
Probable cause:
Inadequate preflight by the pilot resulting in fuel exhaustion. Inadequate maintenance and inspection was a factor contributing to the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Abuja: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1994 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ATQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lagos - Abuja
MSN:
538
YOM:
1977
Location:
Abuja
Abuja Federal Capital Territory
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While descending to Abuja-Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, heavy rain falls and moderate to severe turbulences. As the ILS was out of calibration, the crew decided to perform a VOR/DME approach but following a misunderstanding of the VOR location, the crew started the final approach prematurely. Too low, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 12,2 km short of runway 22. Two people survived while three others were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who initiated the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to descend too low too early. Poor weather conditions were considered as contributing factors.
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