Africa | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Few minutes after takeoff from from Blantyre-Chileka Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Chiradzulu located about 21 km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Georges Mercier,
Lt Jacques Laguibe,
Adj Bernard Moreau,
Adj Louis Coudray,
Adj Georges Babylé,
M/Sgt Georges Moreau.

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard near Meftah

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard

Operator:

Registration:

017/F-SFZI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

20C

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Djebel Zerouela, southeast of Meftah. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1B on Mt Nyamuragira

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1958

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Aviation de la Force Publique

Registration:

D-12

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

04054

YOM:

1947

Location:

Mt Nyamuragira

Nord-Kivu

Country:

Democratic Republic of Congo

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash on the Nyamuragira volcano in unknown circumstances. Occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Port Harcourt

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1958

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

VR-NAY

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

04096

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing at Port Harcourt for unknow reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Vickers 748D Viscount in Benghazi: 36 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1958 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

VP-YNE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Salisbury – Léopoldville – Entebbe – Khartoum – Wadi Halfa – Benghazi – Rome – London

MSN:

102

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9158

Captain / Total hours on type:

920.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3204

Copilot / Total hours on type:

961

Circumstances:

The flight is a scheduled service from Salisbury, Rhodesia, to London and is known as the Zambezi service. This service is operated by three crews, one crew operating from Salisbury to Entebbe, the second from Entebbe to Benina and the third from Benina to London. On 8 August this service departed from Salisbury at 0713LT and a stop was made at Ndola for traffic purposes. At Entebbe, a relief crew took over the aircraft for the sector to Benina. Stops were made at Khartoum and Wadi Halfa for refuelling and the aircraft left Wadi Halfa at 2120LT for Benina. The flight was completely uneventful and slightly ahead of schedule up to the time of the accident. At 0112 hours the aircraft was cleared into Benina control zone. At the request of the pilot, at 0114 hours, permission was given by Benina Approach Control to make a direct approach on to runway 330° Right, using the locator and the responder beacons. Between 20 and 30 seconds after this clearance had been acknowledged by the pilot the aircraft struck high ground 5,5 miles to the southeast of the aerodrome. Fire broke out on impact. Of the 7 crew and 47 passengers aboard the aircraft, 4 crew and 32 passengers were killed.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was that when making an approach to runway 330° Right and whilst flying in cloud, the pilot descended below the correct height thus permitting the aircraft to strike high ground. The reason why the pilot descended so low, 5,5 miles from the aerodrome, cannot be established, but the most probable cause is that he misinterpreted the reading of his altimeter. The possibility that his efficiency had been reduced by fatigue and a slight indisposition cannot be excluded.

Final Report:

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V off Dakar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1958 at 1154 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

27.F.3

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dakar - Dakar

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After completing a short local training flight, the crew was returning to his base at Bel-Air NAS in Dakar. Upon landing, the seaplane bounced and eventually broke in two and partially sank few dozen yards off the district of Hann Bel-Air, into the bay of Hann. Three crew members were killed while eight others were rescued. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Crew (27F Squadron):
Mst Albert Le Prunnec, gunner, †
Mst Jean Quioc, navigator,
Off Legoff,
Off Giroguy,
2nd Mst Pierre Dauris,
Mst Jean Roche,
2nd Mst Marcel Riou,
Q/Mst Jean Gougeard,
Off Le Mouzy, †
Off Coen, †
Off Jourdan. †

Crash of a Nord 2501 Noratlas in Blida

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Blida - Blida

MSN:

073

YOM:

1955

Location:

Blida

Country:

Algeria

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While completing a training mission in the vicinity of the Blida Airport, the airplane collided with a flock of storks. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field near the airport and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

In-flight collision with a flock of storks.

Crash of a Percival P.50 Prince 4D in Mackinnon Road

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.50 Prince

Operator:

Registration:

G-AMOT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While conducting a survey flight, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency belly landing. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both crew members were slightly injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Molière: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

F-BHKV

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Algiers – Colomb-Béchar

MSN:

20001

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a flight from Algiers to Colomb-Béchar, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Molière (today Bordj Bounaama). The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 15 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Mr. Yasoni, pilot,
Mr. Vincent, radio operator,
Mr. Brillant, mechanic.