Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Castel Benito

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGJD
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Castel Benito – London
MSN:
1210
YOM:
1944
Location:
Castel Benito (Qaser Bin Ghashir)
Tripoli (طرابلس)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff run, the aircraft was caught by a strong crosswind gust and slewed across the runway. The captain over-corrected and the aircraft ran off the runway on the opposite side and rolled over on the grass, breaking in two in the process. There were no injuries but all the passengers were suspended upside down in their seats by their seatbelts. The only reason they all got out was that, mercifully, the York didn’t catch fire despite being full of fuel for the sector it was starting.
Thanks to Andy Frish for his testimony and pictures.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Tanga

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
African Air Cars
Registration:
VP-KDI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Tanga
Tanga Region
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Tanga Airport, a tire burst. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in a grassy area. The pilot, sole on board, was unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Photo Anthony Leyfeldt via
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66871176@N05/

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Asmara

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
N1241N
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22474
YOM:
1945
Location:
Asmara
Maekel
Country:
Eritrea
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear when the right engine suffered a loss of power. The captain decided to return to Asmara for a safe landing but the aircraft stalled and crashed into a ditch near the airport. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft leased by the USAF was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the right engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Alexandria

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Pan African Air Charter
Registration:
ZS-AYB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Geneva – Luqa – Cairo
MSN:
19584
YOM:
1944
Location:
Alexandria
Alexandria
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Approaching Luqa Airport in Malta, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to continue to Cairo directly. On approach to the Egyptian coast, fuel reserve were too low and the captain decided to divert to Alexandria. On final, the aircraft stalled (likely due to a double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion) and crashed into the Alexandria harbor, near the suburb of Ras-el-Tin. All 30 occupants were rescued (few of them were slightly injured) while the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Breguet 730 off Arzew: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Breguet 730
Operator:
Registration:
1
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
01
YOM:
1944
Location:
Arzew
Oran
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While overflying the Mediterranean Sea on a flight from Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, south of Toulon, Var, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. While approaching the Algerian coast, an engine failed. The pilot decided to make an emergency landing but the aircraft christened 'Vega' crashed into the sea off Arzew. All occupants were rescued but a passenger was drowned. Few hours later, a survivor died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Vickers 467 Wellington XIV off Oran: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 467 Wellington XIV
Operator:
Registration:
PF996
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Oran
Oran
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
973
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea five NM north of Falcon Cape, northwest off Oran while performing a maritime patrol flight. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
François Faure, pilot,
Jean Boulicaut,
René Bresson 5.

Crash of a Avro 683 Lancaster B.1 in Lagos

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
TW658
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Lagos
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The tail wheel broke off on landing at Ikeja Airport, Lagos. There were no casualties among the 7 crew members of the 82nd Squadron but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Caro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Cairo-Almaza
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on final approach to Cairo-Almaza Airport, killing three crew members and injured six others.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Wadi Halfa

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-BWZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Paris – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Johannesburg
MSN:
9145
YOM:
1943
Location:
Wadi Halfa
Northern (الشمالية)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Wadi Halfa, a fire erupted in the cockpit. The crew was unable to extinguish the fire so the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a desert area located few km from the airport. The aircraft written off while all 26 occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The opinion was formed that the fire started in the left hand side of the pilot's compartment because of an electric short in the extension lamp, producing sufficient heat to ignite propeller deicing fluid, which, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Committee was of opinion must have leaked from the tank behind the Commander's seat. On available evidence, the crew made all possible efforts to extinguish the fire, but the effectiveness of their actions was nullified by the restricted area of operations and the inaccessibility of the seat of the fire. In view of the direct evidence of a blue flame at the time of the conflagration, there would appear to have been a high percentage of methyl spirits in the deicing fluid. This is confirmed by tests made of deicing fluid taken from other aircraft serviced by the same maintenance organisation which did not conform with specification An-F-13.

Crash of a SNCAC NC.701 Martinet in Chréa: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1948
Type of aircraft:
SNCAC NC.701/702 Martinet
Operator:
Registration:
175
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
175
Location:
Chréa
Blida
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
In unknown circumstances, the twin engine aircraft registered 175 (coded 11S-8) crashed in a mountainous area located in Chréa, southeast of Blida. All seven occupants were killed.
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