Africa

Site:

Schedule:

Mapai - Harare

MSN:

13965/25310

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9522

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Mapai Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane was shot down by a RPG7 and crashed in flames in a field. The captain was killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Crew:
Bruce Collocott, pilot, †
Jerry Lynch, copilot +2.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Boeing 707-321C in Lusaka: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1977 at 1433 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

G-BEBP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Civil Aviation Flying Unit

Schedule:

London - Athens - Nairobi - Lusaka

MSN:

18579/332

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6782

Captain / Total hours on type:

115.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

13745

Copilot / Total hours on type:

2482

Aircraft flight hours:

47621

Aircraft flight cycles:

16723

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from London to Lusaka with intermediate stops in Athens and Nairobi. Following an uneventful flight from Nairobi, a clearance was given to descend further down to FL70 in 1,000 feet steps. At 09:28 the copilot reported that the airfield was in sight. Lusaka then cleared the aircraft to descend to 6,000 feet (2,221 feet above runway elevation) and moments later a clearance was given to make a visual approach for runway 10. At 09:32 flaps were selected to 50°. Suddenly, at 09:33, the complete right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly were seen to separate in flight. The aircraft pitched rapidly nose down and dived vertically into the ground from a height of about 800 feet. The main wreckage was located 3,660 meters from the runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a loss of pitch control following the in-flight separation of the right hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator as a result of a combination of metal fatigue and inadequate failsafe design in the rear spar structure. Shortcomings in design assessment, certification and inspection procedures were contributory factors.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Zaria

Date & Time: May 6, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

5N-AVB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Zaria - Zaria

MSN:

31-7300163

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training mission at Zaria Airport. On final approach, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was destroyed while both occupants, an instructor and a pilot under supervision were uninjured.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Sokoto

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

5N-AAW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

10217

YOM:

1963

Location:

Sokoto

Country:

Nigeria

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

21060

Aircraft flight cycles:

22167

Circumstances:

After landing, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to a halt few dozen meters further. While all 23 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A-3 in Libreville: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

YU-AJS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

MSN:

48370

YOM:

1976

Location:

Libreville

Estuaire (Libreville)

Country:

Gabon

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Libreville-Léon Mba Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Springbok: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-CMI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

1418

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a rocky and mountainous area located near Springbok. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Bela-Bela: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1977

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-DRG

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1239

YOM:

1958

Location:

Bela-Bela (Warm Baths)

Limpopo

Country:

South Africa

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-63CF in Niamey: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1977 at 0335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

N8635

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: