Africa

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Swearingen SA226 Metro II

Schedule:

Lokichogio - Rumbek

MSN:

81 07 07

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Lokichogio on a charter flight to Rumbek on behalf of a humanitarian agency. On final approach, the captain saw an animal crossing the runway and decided to delay the landing. The aircraft landed too far down the runway and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226TC Metro II on Point Lenana: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 2003 at 1800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Ryan Blake Air Charter

Registration:

ZS-OYI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nairobi – Samburu

MSN:

TC-349

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Nairobi-Wilson Airport at 1558LT on a charter flight to Samburu, carrying 12 passengers (all US citizens) and two pilots. En route, the crew decided to make a tour over the Mt Kenya before continuing to Samburu. While cruising at an altitude of 16,500 feet in clouds, the aircraft struck the eastern slope of Mt Point Lenana (third highest peak of Mt Kenya). The wreckage was found 450 feet below the summit and all 14 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew failed to maintain horizontal and vertical situational awareness of the aircraft’s proximity to the surrounding terrain.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Unfamiliarity with the airspace and the route in particular and the existence of high ground on the planned flight route,
- Inadequate flight planning by the pilots and distraction of their attention when they were instructed to contact Nanyuki,
- Poor pilot briefing by the Wilson ATC briefing office,
- Poor communication between the air traffic control units,
- Failure of the radar controller to advise the pilot of termination of radar service,
- Lack of a radar system minimum safe altitude warning to the radar controller,
- Poor civil military coordination during transit through the military airspace.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2J8C in Port Sudan: 116 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 2003 at 0417 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

ST-AFK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Schedule:

Port Sudan - Khartoum

MSN:

21169

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

SD139

Location:

Port Sudan

Red Sea (البحر الأحمر)

Country:

Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

106

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

116

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Port Sudan Airport at 0407LT on a schedule service to Khartoum with 105 passengers and 11 crew members on board. During climbout, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and was cleared to return for an emergency landing on runway 33. On final approach in limited visibility, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed about 5 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces. A boy aged two was injured while 116 other occupants were killed, among them eight EU citizens and one high ranking officer of the Sudan Army.

Probable cause:

Failure of one engine during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules at Boufarik AFB: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 2003 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

7T-WHQ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Boufarik AFB - Boufarik AFB

MSN:

4926

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

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Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed Boufarik AFB on a local training flight. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew informed ATC about an engine fire and elected to return for an emergency landing. Few seconds later, control was lost and the aircraft crashed in the district of Beni Mered, less than 2 km from the end of runway 22. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire as well as eight houses. All four crew members were killed as well as 11 people on the ground. Six other people on the ground were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Engine fire for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near Rooisand: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 2003 at 1930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

V5-CAS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Rooisand - Windhoek

MSN:

208B-0549

YOM:

1996

Location:

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Circumstances:

Chartered by International SOS, the single engine aircraft was dispatched to the Rooisand Desert Ranch Aerodrome with a medical team to pick up a patient who suffered a car accident. The aircraft landed at Rooisand Airstrip about 15 minutes before sunset. Due to the night and because the airfield was not equipped with any light systems, the pilot asked people to park their cars along the runway with their lights on. After take off, the aircraft continued westbound with a 12 knots tailwind and was supposed to circle the runway two or three times to gain sufficient height to avoid the hills surrounding the area. Then the aircraft turned right towards a hill that was 258 metres higher than the end of the runway. The aircraft had flown about 4,8 km far towards that hill when it banked steeply to the left and headed back to the southeast. The aircraft then descended to a height of 191 metres until it struck the slope of a hill. The wreckage was found 17 metres below the hill's top and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The decision of the pilot to take off from an airfield that was not suitable for night operations,
- The absence of a copilot considerably increased the workload of the captain, assuming that the copilot could have assisted him in the reconnaissance of the terrain, the preparation of the flight, the assistance to the patient and the medical team,
- Lack of visibility due to the night and lack of visual reference points on the ground, especially since the pilot had to wear corrective glasses,
- The pilot could not clearly distinguish the various parameters displayed on his instrument's panel because he forgot his glasses.

Crash of a Fokker 50 in Adar Yeil

Date & Time: Jun 16, 2003 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker 50

Operator:

Registration:

ST-ARA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Khartoum - Adar Yeil

MSN:

20154

YOM:

1989

Location:

Adar Yeil

Upper Nile (أعالي النيل)

Country:

South Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing on a gravel runway at Adar Yeil Airport, the aircraft collided with a flock of birds, damaging the left engine. The aircraft went out of control and veered to the left, causing the left propeller to struck the ground. The propeller blades separated, punctured the fuselage and injured three passengers. The aircraft came to a halt and all occupants evacuated. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after landing following a collision with a flock of birds.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Goma

Date & Time: May 27, 2003

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Showa Air

Registration:

9L-LCR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Democratic Republic of Congo

Schedule:

Entebbe – Kisangani – Goma

MSN:

4 3 418 01

YOM:

1964

Location:

Goma

Nord-Kivu

Country:

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Upon touchdown at Goma Airport, the four engine aircraft bounced. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran the 2'050 metres long runway, turned to the left and came to rest in a solidified lava area. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the landing was performed with a tailwind component following an approach in stormy weather.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Menongue: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 2003

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

T-307

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Menongue - Luanda

MSN:

9 34 66 08

YOM:

1969

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Luanda on a cargo flight to Menongue, carrying four crew members and a load of fuel drums. While in cruising altitude, one of the engine failed but the crew was able to continue and to land normally at Menongue Airport. Later, the crew decided to fly back to Luanda on three engines for maintenance instead of getting a technical crew to the airfield the next day. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, a second engine failed, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Asmara

Date & Time: May 11, 2003

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

ER-AXD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: