Crash of an Antonov AN-32B in Kinshasa: 298 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1996 at 1243 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-26222
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Kinshasa - Kahemba
MSN:
2301
YOM:
1989
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
298
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Kinshasa to Kahemba, carrying two passengers, four crew members and a load of food and basic necessities. During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 204 km/h, the pilot-in-command pulled up the control column to start the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond. The crew decided to abort the take off procedure but this decision was taken too late. Unable to stop within the remaining distance (the runway is 1,700 metres long), the aircraft overran, rolled for about 240 metres and came to rest in the district of Simbazikita, bursting into flames. A crew member was killed while five other occupants were injured. On ground, at least 297 people were killed while 253 others were injured, some seriously.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was unable to take off because its total weight at the time of the accident was well above the MTOW. Due to lack of evidences, investigations were unable to determine the exact value of the excess mass, probably between 2 and 7 tons. Nevertheless, the decision of the crew to abort the takeoff procedure was taken too late and the runway length was insufficient. It was also reported that the aircraft was operated by African Air and leased from Moscow Airways. The flight was operated illegally on behalf of Scibe-Airlift which was not concerned about such operation. The certificate of airworthiness expired last December and the aircraft was not authorized to fly.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188C Electra in Jamba: 141 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9Q-CRR
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jamba - Kinshasa
MSN:
1080
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
139
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
141
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Jamba Airport, the four engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in a field located few km from the airfield. The copilot and two passengers survived while 141 other occupants were killed, among them 83 children. The aircraft was completing a charter/humanitarian flight to Kinshasa to repatriate Congolese refugees.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft that was certified to carry a maximum of 97 passengers.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2K9 in Douala: 71 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1995 at 2244 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TJ-CBE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cotonou – Douala
MSN:
23386
YOM:
1985
Flight number:
UY3701
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
71
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
71
Captain / Total flying hours:
7990
Captain / Total hours on type:
5923.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5850
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4317
Aircraft flight hours:
18746
Aircraft flight cycles:
23233
Circumstances:
While on a night approach to Douala Airport, at a distance of 3,5 NM, the crew was cleared to land on runway 30. At this time, the aircraft initiated a slight climb and about 15 seconds later, the copilot informed ATC about technical problems. Three seconds later, the aircraft rolled to the left, struck trees and crashed in a mangrove located about 1,700 metres south of runway 30, bursting into flames. Three passengers and two crew members (the copilot and a stewardess) were seriously injured while 71 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident resulted from a loss of control of the aircraft during an attempted go-around made during the touchdown maneuver on landing, with degraded performance.
The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The detachment by structural fatigue of a blade from the first stage of the compressor on engine n°1 which led to a loss of power, and
- A destabilization of the trajectory during landing and the late or slow execution of the go-around procedure in an unidentified single-engine configuration which resulted in an irreversible loss of speed.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-12TB in Huambo

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-11008
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luanda - Huambo
MSN:
4 026 12
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a humanitarian flight from Luanda to Huambo, carrying three passengers, six crew members and a load of 13,579 kilos of food on behalf of the United Nations Organization. While descending to Huambo-Albano Machado Airport, the crew completed a last turn to join the approach path when he realized that his altitude was insufficient. Instead of initiating a go-around manoeuvre, the pilot-in-command continued the descent but landed too far down the runway which is 2,660 metres long. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest 260 metres further. All nine occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway and failed to initiate a go-around. It was reported that the undercarriage and flaps were deployed too late during the approach procedure. A lack of crew coordination and a poor planned approach and landing were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2F9 in Kaduna: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1995 at 0853 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AUA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yola – Jos – Kaduna – Lagos
MSN:
22985
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
WT357
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
124
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
22375
Aircraft flight cycles:
27567
Circumstances:
Nigeria Airways flight WT357 departed Yola (YOL) at 07:00 en route to Lagos (LOS). Intermediate stops were planned at Jos (JOS) and Kaduna (KAD). The Boeing 737 landed at Jos at 07:40 and departed fifty minutes later. The flight to Kaduna was uneventful. Kaduna ATC gave the aircraft an inbound clearance with no delay for a locator approach to runway 05. Though, the initial landing clearance was for runway 05, the captain requested to land on runway 23. He was reminded by the controller that the wind was from 090 magnetic, but he still insisted on using the 23 approach. At 08:42, the aircraft commenced its initial descent at 48 miles on the ILS/DME to 4,500 ft. At 08:49 UTC, it was cleared to 3,500 ft at 10 miles out and was later descended to 500 ft. The aircraft turned left from the track 310 to align with runway 23 and the aircraft was still in the turn when the threshold was sighted just 1.5 miles to the left of the aircraft. The first officer asked the captain "Can you make it to land from that position?". The observer in the jump seat also suggested going on the downwind, presumably to re-position the aircraft for landing on runway 05. There was no response at all from the captain and the approach was continued for runway 23. The left turn was very steep and it took the aircraft to the left of the runway centreline and a right correction was applied. The observer shouted "Watch the wing" as the wings could have struck the ground on the final approach. By this time, the aircraft crossed the threshold with the flying pilot still struggling to maintain directional control for runway centreline alignment. The aircraft touched down 7820 feet down the runway, leaving just 2020 ft (615.85 m) of runway length. The captain was reported to have used 1.8 and 1.6 EPR on the reversers. When a runway overrun became inevitable, the captain turned the aircraft to the left with the intention to take advantage of the last rapid exit intersection to avoid the runway end lights. At this juncture, the aircraft entered an uncontrollable skid. The right wing hit the ground, thus rupturing the fuel tanks and a huge fire erupted. The aircraft was destroyed by the fire.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident is the continuation of a highly unstabilized approach when the option of a missed approach could have been taken. The contributing factor was the turn off at 76 knots into the high speed intersection when an overrun into the extended runway end should have been maintained.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Addis Ababa

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1995 at 0950 LT
Operator:
Registration:
ET-AIO
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kombolcha-Dessie – Addis Ababa
MSN:
818
YOM:
1985
Flight number:
ET173
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Addis Ababa-Bole Airport, the twin engine aircraft collided with a white backed vulture of 5,4 kg. The windshield was broken and both pilots were seriously injured. Nevertheless, they elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed 300 metres short of runway. All 20 occupants were rescued, among them nine were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach following bird strike.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near Menongue: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1995
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-MGR
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luanda – Lanseria
MSN:
BB-19
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was completing a special flight from Luanda to Lanseria on behalf of the World Food Programme. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an isolated area located in the region of Menongue. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five occupants were killed. It was reported that weather was poor at the time of the accident with severe turbulences. The left aileron and a part of the left wing were never recovered and probably separated from the aircraft prior to the loss of control.

Crash of a Learjet 36A in Zarzaitine

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1995 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HB-VFS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Geneva – Zarzaitine – Accra – Zarzaitine – Geneva – London – Geneva
MSN:
36-042
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Geneva-Cointrin on an ambulance flight to Accra with an intermediate stop in Zarzaitine, carrying two doctors and two pilots. The goal of the mission was to repatriate a patient to London via Geneva after a crew change. While descending to runway 05 at Zarzaitine-In Amenas Airport by night, the crew was informed by ATC that runway 23 was in service. The crew followed a circuit and started the descent to runway 23. On final approach in low visibility (dark night), the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the top of a sand dune. The undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft crash landed 3 km short of runway, bursting into flames. Both doctors escaped uninjured, the female copilot was slightly injured and the captain was seriously injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain during a visual approach completed in limited visibility due to the dark night.

Crash of a Boeing 707-321C in N'Djamena

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1995 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-ABN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – N’Djamena
MSN:
19379
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful cargo flight from Paris, the crew completed the landing on runway 05 by night. After touchdown, the crew started the braking procedure and selected spoilers and reverse thrust. The aircraft started to veer to the left so the captain decided to reduce the use of the reverse thrust systems. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran at a speed of 10 knots. The aircraft sank on soft ground and the left main gear collapsed. The aircraft came to rest about 50 metres past the runway end and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the reverse thrust system failed on engine n°4.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Johannesburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-05708
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Johannesburg - Jamba
MSN:
1G153-21
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Johannesburg-Rand Airport, while in initial climb, the single engine aircraft nosed up and stalled. It collided with power cables and crashed, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight according to published procedures as the cargo was not properly secured in the cabin and shifted after liftoff, causing the aircraft to stall and crash.