Crash of a Lockheed L-188C Electra in Jamba: 141 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9Q-CRR
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jamba - Kinshasa
MSN:
1080
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
139
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
141
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Jamba Airport, the four engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in a field located few km from the airfield. The copilot and two passengers survived while 141 other occupants were killed, among them 83 children. The aircraft was completing a charter/humanitarian flight to Kinshasa to repatriate Congolese refugees.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft that was certified to carry a maximum of 97 passengers.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Turbo Beaver III in La Ronge

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1995 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FOEF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1605
YOM:
1965
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Parked at La Ronge, the single engine aircraft was stolen by a drunk 'pilot' who was able to run the engine but attempted to take off with controls locked. At a speed of about 60 knots, the aircraft struck obstacles and crashed on a hill. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Crashed after being stolen by an intoxicated 'pilot'.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Verona: 49 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1995 at 1955 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-AMR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Verona - Timișoara
MSN:
77303309
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
BZ166
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
49
Captain / Total flying hours:
3645
Captain / Total hours on type:
2345.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7100
Copilot / Total hours on type:
6500
Aircraft flight hours:
8913
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Timișoara, the aircraft landed at Verona-Villafranca Airport and remained parked for one hour on the ground. Weather conditions were as follow: wind 290° at 2 knots, horizontal visibility 1,300 metre, RVR 2,000 metres, haze and snow falls, overcast 500 feet, OAT 0° C, dew point below zero, QNH 1010. Despite snow falls, the crew decided to takeoff without proceeding to a pre-departure deicing/anti-icing of the aircraft. After liftoff from runway 23, the crew initiated a slight turn to the right heading 239° when 25 seconds later, the aircraft's speed dropped to 179 km/h. The crew selected elevator down so the speed increased to 185 km/h but when elevators were selected up again, the speed dropped to 155 km/h. The aircraft rolled to the right to an angle of 67° then lost height and crashed in a field located 1,500 metres from the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 49 occupants were killed, among them 31 Italian businessmen, 4 Serbs and 14 Romanians including all crew membres. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was operated by Banat Air and leased from Romavia.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb due to the loss of aerodynamic properties consequently to the decision of the crew to not proceed to any deicing or anti-icing procedure prior to departure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor weather conditions,
- Excessive accumulation of snow and frost on wings, tail, elevators, stabs and fuselage,
- The crew underestimated and exercised poor judgment about weather conditions,
- The pilot-in-command probably suffered a spatial disorientation during initial climb because of the unusual attitude of the aircraft caused by the loss of aerodynamic properties, combined with snow falls, the lack of visibility due to the night and a possible optical illusion caused by the headlights on,
- The total weight of the aircraft was 2 tons above the MTOW,
- The weight & balance sheet could not be checked prior to takeoff because the crew failed to transmit such document that was not requested by ground personnel,
- A slight loss of power occurred on the right engine shortly after liftoff.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134B-3 in Nakhchivan: 52 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1995 at 1754 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
4K-65703
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nakhchivan - Baku
MSN:
63383
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
AHY056
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
76
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Captain / Total flying hours:
9534
Captain / Total hours on type:
3641.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4557
Copilot / Total hours on type:
263
Aircraft flight hours:
27500
Aircraft flight cycles:
17893
Circumstances:
During initial climb, at a height of about 60 metres and at a speed of 317 km/h, the left engine failed. The copilot counteracted the left bank and five seconds later, the flight engineer informed the crew that the right engine also failed. The captain took over control and the aircraft climbed to the height of 197 metres when the speed dropped to 290 km/h. The captain elected to make an emergency landing but was forced to make a sharp turn to the right to avoid a building. The aircraft rolled to the right to an angle of 37° and adopted a rate of descent of 1,960 feet per minute before crashing in an open field located 3,850 metres from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. Thirty occupants were rescued while 52 others, among them two crew members, were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the left engine failed during initial climb following the disintegration of the 2nd and 3rd stage of the compressor. Investigations revealed that the maintenance was non compliant and that 38 screws were missing on the main compressor, a violation that was not repaired during the last maintenance inspection conducted 30 flying hours prior to the accident. Following a lack of crew coordination but also a faulty ergonomy of the flight deck, the flight engineer mistakenly shut down the right engine that was running properly.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Verkhnyaya Toyma

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1995 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-17725
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Verkhnyaya Toyma – Kotlas
MSN:
1G202-45
YOM:
1983
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During initial climb, the crew encountered difficulties to gain height. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field some three minutes after takeoff. The wreckage was found 500 metres from the runway end. Four occupants escaped uninjured while 11 others were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was overloaded.

Crash of a Cessna 402A in Avon Park: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1995 at 0632 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N402RL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Avon Park – Moss Town – Port-au-Prince
MSN:
402A-0051
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2700
Captain / Total hours on type:
104.00
Aircraft flight hours:
11512
Circumstances:
After takeoff at dawn on a foggy morning, the airplane collided with electrical transmission wires about one mile from the end of the runway, on an extended line about 50 degrees left of the extended runway centerline. The left wing tip fuel tank (left main) was partially severed from the airplane, breaching the tank. Additionally, the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, and a portion of the windscreen was separated. A suggestion was made by the operator that the autopilot trim may have been improperly set, precipitating a nose pitch down upon engagement of the autopilot during the climb. The airplane continued to fly for about 20 minutes, then impacted in a steep right wing down attitude into a densely wooded area that was surrounded by open terrain. The ensuing fire precluded any determination of engine malfunction, systems' discrepancies, or wire strike damage to the left propeller. No determination of pilot incapacitation was possible because of the post impact fire. Based upon the ground witness statement, the left engine was probably inoperative following the wire strike. The impact attitude was inconsistent with a decreasing speed loss of control with the left engine inoperative. However, the flight control trim settings, left main fuel tank selected, and throttle quadrant settings all may have been indicative of pilot incapacitation that precluded proper emergency procedure response. Additionally, the airplane impacted into a densely wooded area surrounded by flatter terrain absent of tall obstacles.
Probable cause:
The failure of the pilot to maintain the proper climb rate and direction of flight following takeoff, resulting in a collision with obstacles. The reason for the loss of control and subsequent unusual attitude ground impact was not determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Makovskoye

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1995 at 1637 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-07419
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Makovskoye – Yeniseysk
MSN:
1G150-54
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The departure from Makovskoye Airfield was initiated in poor weather conditions. After liftoff, the aircraft lost height, causing the skis to struck the ground. The aircraft bounced, climbed to a height of about 15 metres and collided with a tree before crashing on the ground. All nine occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200C Super King Air in Uncía: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1995
Operator:
Registration:
EB-002
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
BL-33
YOM:
1981
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After takeoff, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion near the runway end. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo in Wollaston Lake

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1995 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-GOLM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wollaston Lake – La Ronge
MSN:
31-7712050
YOM:
1977
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4920
Captain / Total hours on type:
450.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7056
Circumstances:
The Eagle Air Services Piper PA-31-325 Navajo, C-GOLM, departed runway 34 at Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan, at 2325 central standard time (CST), on a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) flight to La Ronge. The flight was arranged by the Wollaston nursing station to transport a patient to a hospital in La Ronge. The patient was accompanied on the flight by her mother and a nurse from the nursing station. The aircraft was observed to climb at an unusually shallow angle after take-off, and, when efforts by company personnel to reach the pilot by radio were unsuccessful, a ground search was commenced. The aircraft was found about five minutes after the accident, located on the ice- and snow-covered surface of Wollaston Lake, about 0.75 nautical miles (nm) from the departure end of the runway, and about 1.3 nm from the point of commencement of the take-off roll. The pilot and the patient suffered serious injuries. The other two occupants sustained minor injuries. The accident occurred during the hours of darkness at latitude 58°6.98'N, longitude 103°10.79'W, at an elevation of 1,300 feet above sea level (asl). The temperature was about -25°/C.
Probable cause:
After take-off, the left propeller was likely on its start locks, which, as the airspeed increased, allowed the propeller to overspeed. The pilot was unable to resolve the situation in time to prevent the aircraft from striking the surface of Wollaston Lake. Contributing to the severity of the patient's injuries were the inadequate restraint provided by the stretcher and its restraining strap, the lack of standards regarding stretchers used in aircraft, and the lack of standards as to the operation of MEDEVAC flights.
Final Report:

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B in Tangalooma

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1995 at 2110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VH-TLQ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tangalooma – Coolangatta
MSN:
33
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
905
Captain / Total hours on type:
57.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was the second to take off in a stream of six on a night flight from the Tangalooma Resort strip to Coolangatta aerodrome. Shortly after takeoff it struck the ground, nosed over and was consumed by a fuel-fed fire. The take-off run appeared normal but the initial climb was shallow according to the witnesses, some of whom were pilots waiting their turn to take off. At about 150 ft above ground level the aircraft entered a descent which continued until ground impact, 164 m beyond the departure end of the strip. The nose gear collapsed at impact but the aircraft remained upright and skidded along the ground on its main gear and front fuselage. It traversed a low sand dune, fell 10 ft to the beach and overturned. The aircraft came to rest 112 m beyond the first ground contact. All four passengers were able to evacuate the aircraft which had started to burn. The pilot was rescued by her passengers.
Probable cause:
The following factors were reported:
1. The takeoff direction was dark and had no visible horizon.
2. The elevator trim was not set for takeoff.
3. The elevator load on takeoff was high.
4. The pilot did not monitor the aircraft attitude after lift-off.
5. The flap was retracted in one movement, increasing the elevator load.
6. The pilot may have been affected by somatogravic illusion to the extent that she thought the climb attitude was adequate.
Final Report: