Africa

On approach to Yiral Airport in poor visibility due to fog, the twin engine aircraft descended too low, impacted the surface of the Yirol Lake and crashed about 2 km north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and four occupants were rescued while 19 others were killed. A day later, one of the survivor died from his injuries. The three survivors are two children and a Italian doctor. The flight was completed on behalf of the Slaver Company based in Ukraine.

The twin engine airplane departed Dire Dawa in the morning on a flight to Harar Meda Airbase located in Debre Zeit, carrying 15 Army officers and three civilians on behalf of the Ethiopian Army. While descending to Harar Meda, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located in Mojo, some 17 km southeast of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed, among them two children. Operated on behalf of the Ethiopian Army with dual registration ET-AIU/808.

The single engine airplane departed Kamako Airport on a flight to Tshikapa with intermediate stops in Nsumbula and Diboko, carrying five passengers and two pilots. After takeoff, while climbint to a height of about 3,500 feet, the crew spotted birds in the vicinity when the engine lost power. The captain decided to return to Kamako but as he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a marshy field located 3 km from the airport, bursting into flames. The captain and a passenger survived while five other occupants were killed.

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Kiev to Khartoum with an intermediate stop in El Alamein, Egypt. While cruising by night, the crew informed ATC that he was short of fuel and attempted an emergency landing in a desert area located about 50 km east of El Alamein Airport. The aircraft belly landed, slid for few dozen metres and came to rest, broken in two. There was no fire. All six crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is reported that the crew was forced to make an emergency landing due to fuel shortage, probably caused by strong headwinds all along the flight.

On Tuesday 10 July 2018, at approximately 1439Z, two crew members and 17 passengers took off on a ZS-BRV aircraft for a scenic flight from Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) destined for Pilanesberg Aerodrome (FAPN) when the accident occurred. During take-off, the left engine caught fire, however, the crew continued with the flight. They declared an emergency by broadcasting ‘MAYDAY’ and requesting to return to the departure aerodrome. The crew turned to the right with the intention of returning to the aerodrome. However, the left engine fire intensified, causing severe damage to the left wing rear spar and left aileron system, resulting in the aircraft losing height and the crew losing control of the aircraft and colliding with power lines, prior to crashing into a factory building. The footage taken by one of the passengers using their cellphone showed flames coming from the front top side of the left engine cowling and exhaust area after take-off. The air traffic control (ATC) on duty at the time of the accident confirmed that the left engine had caught fire during take-off and that the crew had requested clearance to return to the aerodrome. The ATC then activated the crash alarm and the aircraft was prioritized for landing. During the accident sequence that followed, one passenger (engineer) occupying the jump seat in the cockpit was fatally injured and 18 others sustained injuries. The investigation revealed that during take-off, the left engine had caught fire and the crew had continued with the flight without securing the left engine as prescribed in the aircraft flight manual (AFM). The crew had then declared an emergency and attempted to return to the aerodrome, however, they lost control of the aircraft and collided with power lines prior to crashing into a factory building. Owned by Rovos Air (part of the South African Rovos Rail Group), the aircraft was donated to the Dutch Museum Aviodrome based in Lelystad and has to be transferred to Europe with a delivery date on 23 July 2018. For this occasion, the aircraft was repaint with full Martin's Air Charter colorscheme. Part of the convoy program to Europe, the airplane was subject to several test flights, carrying engineers, technicians, pilots and also members of the Aviodrome Museum.

The twin engine airplane was carrying two technicians and two pilots bound for a mine field located near Lero, Kankan. It made an intermediate stop at Conakry on a flight from Sal, Cape Verde. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and fog when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and disintegrated on impact. All four occupants were killed.

About five minutes after takeoff from Antananarivo-Ivato Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located in Ampangabe, some 10 km southwest of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all five occupants were killed. They were engaged in a training flight with one instructor and two pilots under instruction on board.
Crew:
Claude Albert Ranaivoarison, pilot.
Passengers:
Eddie Charles Razafindrakoto, General of the Madagascar Air Force,
Andy Razafindrakoto, son of the General,
Kevin Razafimanantsoa, pilot trainee,
Mamy Tahiana Andrianarijaona, pilot trainee.

The aircraft took-off from Kitale Airstrip (HKKT) at 16.05 hours and set course to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (HKJK) after climbing to FL 110 with ten onboard. Once established, there were slight peripheral variations in groundspeed and track. The aircraft Flight Level was sustained at 110 with some occasional deviations. Aircraft height above ground level (AGL) varied between 1,102 feet and 4,187 feet. One minute before its impact with the cliff, the aircraft was at 11,100 feet or 3,000 feet AGL, 159 knots ground speed, and tracking radial 338 NV. Immediately before radar signal was lost, the elevation of the highest ground level was 12,876 feet, the aircraft altitude was 11,200 feet, the ground speed was 156 knots, and track was radial 339 NV. Information retrieved from the Radar transcript recorded various parameters of the aircraft from 1605hrs up to 1702hrs, the time radar signal was lost. This information was consistent with information extracted from the on-board equipment the ST3400 and the aera GPS. The radar system transmits information including aircraft position in relation to NV VOR, Flight Level or altitude, ground speed, vertical speed and heading. Information retrieved from the GPS captured the last recorded time, date and location as 14:00:52, on 06/05/2018 and elevation 3,555.57 metres. The aircraft impacted the bamboo-covered terrain at an elevation of 3,645 metres at 0.36’56’’S 36 42’44’’ where the wreckage was sited. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all 10 occupants were killed.

Following an uneventful paratroopers mission over the area of Biskra, the crew was returning to Biskra-Mohamed Khider Airport. On final approach, the airplane stalled and crashed few hundre metres short of runway, coming to rest broken in two. All nine crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. A day later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.

The single engine aircraft departed Kamonia on a special flight to Kamako on behalf of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), carrying three passengers and two pilots. During the takeoff roll from runway 34, the pilot-in-command started the rotation but the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. The nose gear and the cargo pod impacted an embankment located at the end of the runway and the aircraft flipped over and came to rest upside down. All five occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed.