Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-9
Operator:
Registration:
5N-BBA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kano – Lagos – Accra – Monrovia
MSN:
47217
YOM:
1968
Location:
Monrovia-James Spriggs Payne
Montserrado
Country:
Liberia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
82
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Monrovia-James Spriggs Payne Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with a visibility limited due to heavy rain falls. On final, the aircraft struck the ground short of runway threshold, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft slid on its belly for about 500 metres before coming to rest on the runway. All 91 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
In poor weather conditions, the crew continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude until the aircraft impacted terrain short of runway threshold. The lack of visibility caused by the heavy rain falls remains a contributing factor, but the crew should have made the decision to initiate a go-around procedure since the landing was obviously missed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Antananarivo: 36 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Malagasy Air Force - Armée de l'Air Malgache
Registration:
5R-MMG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Maintirano - Antananarivo
MSN:
19525
YOM:
1944
Location:
Antananarivo-Ivato
Antananarivo Province
Country:
Madagascar
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
On final approach to Antananarivo-Ivato Airport, the aircraft suffered a double engine failure, stalled and crashed 500 metres short of runway 11 threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while 34 other occupants were killed. The day after the accident, both survivors died from their injuries. All occupants, except the military crew, were doctors, dentists and nurses coming from the island of La Réunion. There were returning to Antananarivo after taking part to a humanitarian mission at Maintirano. The aircraft had the dual registration 5R-MMG (civil) and 525 (military).
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on approach, possibly due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2B-27 Islander in Medouneu

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
TR-LBJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Libreville - Medouneu
MSN:
2127
YOM:
1982
Location:
Medouneu
Woleu-Ntem (Oyem)
Country:
Gabon
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Medouneu Airport, the twin engine aircraft became unstable and lost height. The left wing collided with trees then the aircraft lost height and crashed 50 metres further by a soccer field, bursting into flames. All eight occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Lagos: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1995 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-134
Operator:
Registration:
RA-65617
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kaduna - Lagos
MSN:
08068
YOM:
1974
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
24844
Aircraft flight cycles:
15740
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kaduna, the crew started the approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and strong winds. On short final, the wind changed to a tail component and became stronger. This caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway, about 1,000 metres past the runway threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck the concrete structure of a drainage ditch and came to rest 147 metres further, bursting into flames. 65 people were rescued while 15 passengers were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Poor quality in the organization of the meteorological support at Lagos airport, as a result of which the crew did not receive reliable information about the actual direction and force of the wind during the approach and landing procedure, which caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway;
- The presence of a layer of water on the runway, about which the crew was not informed prior to landing, which caused the aircraft to enter an aquaplaning mode and the loss of braking action efficiency;
- The failure of the crew to initiate a go-around procedure after he encountered poor weather conditions during the final stage of the approach and an erroneous estimation of the actual remaining length of the runway for the safe completion of the landing in case of heavy rainfall;
- Violation on part of the cabin crew requirements for the number and placement of flight attendants at landing, which led to unnoticed penetration of 15 passengers into the rear trunk and toilets after the plane crashed and their death in the event of a fire;
- Unsatisfactory organization of rescue operations at Lagos Airport.

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 in Catumbela: 48 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Casa 212 Aviocar
Operator:
Registration:
T-401
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ondjiva - Catumbela
MSN:
326
YOM:
1985
Location:
Catumbela
Benguela
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
48
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Ondjiva to Catumbela on behalf of the Angolan Company Maboque, and was carrying some of their employees as well as football players. While descending to Catumbela Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from Catumbela Airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while 48 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew initiated the descent prematurely in limited visibility due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Cessna F406 Caravan II in Nairobi

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 406 Caravan
Operator:
Tawakal Airlines
Registration:
5Y-ING
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
406-0024
YOM:
1988
Location:
Nairobi-Wilson
Nairobi City District
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Nairobi-Wilson Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo off Mbour: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Registration:
6V-AGH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dakar - Mbour
MSN:
31-205
YOM:
1968
Location:
Mbour
Thiès Region
Country:
Senegal
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Forty minutes into the flight from Dakar to Mbour, the crew informed ATC that an engine failed and was cleared to descent to 4,000 feet. Shortly later, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in shallow water about 500 metres off Mbour. Four passengers were rescued while six others occupants, including both pilots, were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons. Nevertheless, it was also reported that the crew experience on this type of aircraft was limited.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne in Liuli

Date & Time: May 16, 1995 at 1311 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
Operator:
Sky Tours - Kenya
Registration:
5Y-FKI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Liuli
Ruvuma Region
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Liuli Airstrip, while climbing, the pilot made a sharp turn to avoid a sand dune when he lost control of the aircraft that crashed on the ground. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Lagos: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1995 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AJQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Port Harcourt – Warri – Lagos
MSN:
607
YOM:
1979
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and strong winds. The copilot was in command and the airplane was too high on approach so the captain took over controls and steeped the approach. Nevertheless, the aircraft was still too high over runway 19L threshold when it encountered severe downdraft. It nosed down and struck the runway surface nose gear first. It bounced, veered off runway to the left, rolled to the apron and eventually collided with a parked Fokker F27 Friendship 200MP of the Nigerian Air Force registered NAF908. Both aircraft were destroyed and one of the pilot on board the Twin Otter was killed, all eight other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew lost control of the airplane upon landing after the wind suddenly changed from 270° at 10 knots to 360° at 50 knots. Also, windshear was suspected.

Crash of an AMI Turbo DC-3T in Likwangbala: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Wonderair
Registration:
ZS-LYW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
14357/25802
YOM:
1944
Location:
Likwangbala
Équateur
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an humanitarian flight on behalf of Unicef. On approach to an airstrip somewhere near Likwangbala, the aircraft collided with trees and crashed. Both pilots were killed.
Subscribe to Africa