Ground explosion of a Boeing 707-336C in Accra

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
RN Cargo of Nigeria
Registration:
5N-ARO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lagos - Accra
MSN:
18924
YOM:
1965
Location:
Accra-Kotoka
Greater Accra
Country:
Ghana
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a normal landing at Accra-Kotoka Airport, the crew vacated the runway and the aircraft was taxiing to his parking position when an explosion occurred. The aircraft caught fire and was stopped on the taxiway. All four crew members escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was partially destroyed.
Probable cause:
An incendiary device with a slow burning fuse was found in the cargo compartment.

Crash of a Cessna 402 in Moyo

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 402
Operator:
Larco Concrete Products
Registration:
5X-LCP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Moyo
Northern
Country:
Uganda
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while taking off from a soggy airfield at Mayo. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382E-21C Hercules near Dundo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
N17ST
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
4333
YOM:
1969
Location:
Dundo
Lunda Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While descending to Dundo Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to foggy conditions. At an altitude of 2,650 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 50 km from the airport and disintegrated upon impact. All seven occupants were killed. For unknown reasons, the crew started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to continue the approach below MDA.

Crash of a Learjet 25D in Lagos

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 25
Operator:
Imani & Sons
Registration:
5N-ASQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
25-344
YOM:
1981
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reasons. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Khartoum

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
N480F
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9719
YOM:
1943
Location:
Khartoum
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Khartoum-Haj Yusuf Airport, while climbing, the right engine malfunctioned. The pilot decided to shut it down and to feather its propeller. Few seconds later, the left engine lost power and decision was taken to attempt an emergency landing. The crew completed a belly landing in a wasteland located few km from the airport. The aircraft slid for few dozen meters before coming to rest. All 24 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the fuel was contaminated with water, causing the engine to lose power and/or malfunction.

Crash of an Avro 748-263-2A in Kasaba Bay

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
9J-ADM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kasaba Bay - Lusaka
MSN:
1706
YOM:
1971
Location:
Kasaba Bay
Northern
Country:
Zambia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Kasaba Bay Airport, the left engine suffered unknown problems. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to a stop. All 46 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M near Conakry: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-62
Operator:
Registration:
P-889
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pyongyang - Kabul - Cairo - Conakry
MSN:
21391
YOM:
1972
Location:
Conakry
Conakry Region
Country:
Guinea
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Pyongyang Airport on a regular schedule service to Conakry, carrying 17 passengers and a crew of six. After two intermediate stops in Kabul and Cairo, the crew continued to Conakry without any incident. While descending to the Conakry-Gbessia Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck a mountain located in the Fouta-Djalon Mountain Range, about 30 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 23 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Bamako: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1983
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
TZ-ACH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
394
YOM:
1973
Location:
Bamako
Bamako City District
Country:
Mali
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On final approach to Bamako-Senou Airport, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Niéla, about 5 km short of runway. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Cape Town: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1983 at 1323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 402
Operator:
Linair Express
Registration:
ZS-KVG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Cape Town - Lanseria
MSN:
402B-1094
YOM:
1976
Location:
Cape Town
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The pilot, Lorance Weinberg, had a history of logging hours on aircraft he had not been trained to fly as well as logging hours on aircraft in which he had only traveled as a passenger. On 4 June 1983 he booked a Cessna 402 under false pretenses to fly to Durban, but in fact took a party of 9 to Cape Town for a wedding. The following day he filed an IFR flight plan to return to Johannesburg when he was not IFR rated, but had trouble filling in the forms. He took off just before 13:00 in deteriorating weather with his 8 passengers and immediately ran into trouble. He did not follow any instructions from air traffic control and evaded their questions when they decided it would be best to bring him back for landing. It was noted on radar that he was flying in ever decreasing circles until the aircraft finally crashed onto the Polkadraai Road running between Kuils River and Stellenbosch. Weinberg, five adult passengers and a baby were killed, but two adults survived.
Source: Fields of Air by James Byrom.
Probable cause:
The CAA determined that the pilot had undertaken a flight for which he was not qualified, or trained, to act as pilot in command. He took off in instrument meteorological conditions when he was not instrument rated and suffered from spatial disorientation and because of a lack of training flew into the ground.
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