Crash of a Tupolev TU-154 in Cairo: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1974 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AXB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Cairo - Cairo
MSN:
73A048
YOM:
1973
Location:
Cairo-Intl
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Cairo-Intl Airport. After a training period of 3 hours and 14 minutes, the crew performed a low pass over runway 23 in a slight nose-up attitude. While initiating a climb, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that crashed in flames near the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Continual increase of pitching up attitude during overshoot which lead to the stalling of the aircraft at an insufficient height for recovery. Contributing were the inaccurate calculation of the CG position before takeoff and the possibility of movement of the ballast weight aft during flight.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 in Grand Central

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 500
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-HMR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
500-654-14
YOM:
1968
Location:
Grand Central (Midrand)
Gauteng
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Grand Central Airport, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. It lost speed, stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on final approach.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander near Addis Ababa

Date & Time: May 15, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Government of Kenya
Registration:
5Y-AMG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
601
YOM:
1969
Location:
Addis Ababa-Bole
Addis Ababa City District
Country:
Ethiopia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near the Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, somewhere in May 1974 (exact date unknown).

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Mueda

Date & Time: May 6, 1974 at 1358 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6175
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nangade - Nampula
MSN:
19393
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mueda
Cabo Delgado
Country:
Mozambique
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Nangade to Nampula, the airplane was hit by a SAM-7 missile (Strella) that struck the right engine. The crew decided to divert to Mueda but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing on the short training runway of Nacatári-Chapa. After landing, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance (too short runway), overran and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4-1009 in Gemena

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CBH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
43095
YOM:
1947
Location:
Gemena
Équateur
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to runway 29 at Gemena Airport, during the last segment, the four engine airplane lost height and struck the ground 100 meters short of runway threshold. The airplane went out of control and crash landed. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft lost height on short final after being caught by downdrafts.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 in Gaborone: 78 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1974 at 0235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
A2-ZER
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Gaborone - Lilongwe
MSN:
27242
YOM:
1944
Location:
Gaborone-Seretse Khama
South-East District
Country:
Botswana
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
80
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
78
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Gaborone-Seretse Khama Airport, the crew encountered problems with all four engines that lost power and backfired. Unable to gain sufficient height, the aircraft struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in flames 3,600 meters past the runway end, two minutes after liftoff. A crew member and five passengers were rescued while 78 other occupants were killed. Most of the passengers were employees of South African Mining Company returning home.
Probable cause:
It was determined that all four engines lost power during initial climb due to fuel contamination. Investigations revealed that the aircraft was refueled with Avgas but confusion by ground personnel at Gaborone Airport caused Jet A1 to be transferred in an Avgas fuel tank. This caused the aircraft to be fueled with Avgas contaminated with 25-30% of Jet A1.

Crash of a Rockwell 500S Shrike Commander in Mueda: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500
Operator:
Registration:
CR-AOC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Porto Amélia - Mueda
MSN:
500-3136
YOM:
1972
Location:
Mueda
Cabo Delgado
Country:
Mozambique
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mueda Airstrip by night, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. He was completing a ferry flight from Porto Amélia and the aircraft was operated by Empresa de Transportes Aéreos de Porto Amélia (ETAPA).

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Sara Kawa: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Togolese Air Force - Forces aériennes togolaises
Registration:
5V-MAG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lomé - Sara Kawa
MSN:
9803
YOM:
1943
Location:
Sara Kawa
Kara
Country:
Togo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to Sara Kawa Airport, at an altitude of 50 meters, the airplane nosed down and crashed 800 meters short of runway threshold. Both pilots and four passengers were killed while 13 other occupants were injured, among them The President of the Togolese Republic Gnassingbé Éyadéma and several high ranking officers.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was not determined. However, the Togolese Presidency did not rule out the assumption of sabotage.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47B in Vila Cabral

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6162
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mueda - Vila Cabral
MSN:
14134/25579
YOM:
1944
Location:
Lichinga
Niassa
Country:
Mozambique
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Vila Cabral, the airplane was shot down by ground fire and crash landed. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire on approach.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Sudan

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
National Agricultural Organisation
Registration:
ST-AEV
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
666
YOM:
1968
Location:
Sudan
All Sudan
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Sudan. Occupant's fate unknown.
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