Africa

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo

Schedule:

San Pedro - Abidjan

MSN:

10577

YOM:

1978

Flight number:

VU777

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Abidjan-Félix Houphouët-Boigny Airport runway 21 by night, the captain reported runway in sight and was instructed by ATC to report on final. Few seconds later, the aircraft nosed down, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed 4 km short of runway, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all 17 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was not in an approach configuration as undercarriage and flaps were not deployed. The speed and the rate of descent were excessive for unknown reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo in Bukoba: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1994 at 1300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

JW9024

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

Schedule:

Dar es Salaam - Buboka

MSN:

099

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Bukoba Airport, the aircraft was too low when one of its wing struck a tree. The aircraft lost height and crashed on a clinic. Both pilots were killed while there were no victims on the ground.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 King Air in Kinshasa: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1994 at 0045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CTG

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Democratic Republic of Congo

Schedule:

Gbadolite - Kinshasa

MSN:

BB-629

YOM:

1980

Location:

Kinshasa-N'Djili

Kinshasa City Province

Country:

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Gbadolite, the crew started a night approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck trees and crashed 3 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed, among them Mpinga Kasenda, Minister of Foreign Affairs by the Zaire Government, Patrice Mandoko Bingoto, General Manager of SNEL (Société Nationale d’Électricité) and two Tunisian diplomats.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Bloemfontein

Date & Time: May 6, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

6816

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12112

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Bloemfontein, the crew encountered engine problems. The aircraft lost height and crash landed in Bloemspruit, south of the airport. Both pilots were rescued and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Boeing 727-44F in M'Banza Kongo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1994 at 1610 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 727-100

Operator:

Registration:

S9-TAN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Luanda - M'Banza Kongo

MSN:

18893

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to M'Banza Kongo Airport, the aircraft was too low and struck the ground 3,200 metres short of runway. It reached a little altitude then descended again and struck the ground a second time two metres short of runway. On impact, the left main gear struck a drainage ditch and was torn off. The aircraft slid on the ground, veered to the right when the right wing struck a bus. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries while seven people in the bus were killed.

Probable cause:

The M'Banza Kongo runway is relatively short and the crew must complete a low approach to be able to land as early as possible. Here, the crew completed a too low approach, causing the aircraft to struck the ground twice before runway threshold.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F Commando in Lokichoggio

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1994 at 0400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

C-GIXZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

22495

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while climbing by night, the left engine lost power and failed. Its propeller was feathered and undercarriage and flaps were retracted. The aircraft lost height and crash landed near the runway end. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was chartered by Relief Air Transport.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382G-35C Hercules in Malanje

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

D2-THC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

4679

YOM:

1976

Location:

Malanje

Country:

Angola

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Malanje Airport, the crew encountered technical problems with the brakes. The aircraft came to rest on the runway, bursting into flames. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Brakes overheated after landing for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 50 in Kigali: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1994 at 2028 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dassault Falcon 50

Operator:

Rwandese Government

Registration:

9XR-NN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Schedule:

Dar es Salaam - Kigali - Bujumbura

MSN:

006

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was returning to Kigali after an official flight from Dar es Salaam, carrying members of Rwanda and Burundi government, among them both Presidents, who took part to a congress in Tanzania and ratified the Arusha Agreements. On short final to Kigali-Grégoire Kayibanda Airport runway 28, at a height of about 100 metres, the aircraft was struck by a SAM16 surface-to-air missile and crashed in the garden of the Presidency Residence, about 500 metres from the Kanombe Camp. The wreckage was found 1,850 metres short of runway 28. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Jacky Héraud, pilot,
Jean-Pierre Minaberry, copilot,
Jean-Michel Perrine, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Juvénal Habyarimana, President of the Republic of Rwanda,
General Déogratias Nsabimana, Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Armed Forces,
Major Thaddée Bagaragaza, orderly officer for President Habyarimana,
Colonel Elie Sagatwa, personnel secretary of President Habyarimana,
Ambassador Juvénal Renzaho, political affairs counselor to the presidency,
Dr Emmanuel Akingeneye, personnel doctor or President Habyarimana,
Cyprien Ntaryamira, President of the Republic of Burundi,
Bernard Ciza, Minister of Communication olf Burundi,
Cyriaque Simbizi, Minister of Planning of Burundi.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a SAM16 surface-to-air missile.

Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Light Air Transport

Registration:

5A-DJK

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site: