Africa | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While approaching Brazzaville Airport, the four engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances on the M'Bamou Island, about 15 km northeast of the airport. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Durban

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 402

Operator:

City Air

Registration:

ZS-KPF

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:

Margate – Nelspruit

MSN:

402B-0602

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Margate Airport, while on a charter flight to Nelspruit, the pilot encountered a red warning light for the right main gear. He was cleared by ATC to divert to Durban Airport for an emergency landing when the twin engine aircraft crashed on approach. All eight occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Boeing 707-328C in Lagos: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

D2-TOV

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Ostende - Lagos - Luanda

MSN:

18881

YOM:

1965

Location:

Lagos-Murtala Muhammed

Lagos

Country:

Nigeria

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport, the four engine aircraft struck the ground and crashed 10 km short of runway 19R. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Kisumu

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1988 at 0546 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

5Y-BBS

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Nairobi - Kisumu

MSN:

10213

YOM:

1962

Flight number:

KQ650

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Kisumu Airport, both pilots were focused on discussions about various subjects and failed to monitor the instruments and the approach procedure. The aircraft landed on its belly and slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest on the runway. All 43 occupants were rescued, among them five passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the attention of the crew was focused on various discussions unrelated to the flight operations. Distracted, the crew failed to follow the approach checklist and failed to lower the landing gear. Also, the crew failed to monitor the instruments, causing the aircraft to land at an excessive speed.

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S in Louws Creek: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Shrike Commander 500

Operator:

Registration:

C9-AOO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

500-3179

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the twin engine airplane encountered poor weather conditions and crashed near Louws Creek. One occupant was seriously injured while two others were killed.

Crash of a Dornier DO.28D-1 Skyservant in Mossel Bay

Date & Time: May 16, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.28D Skyservant

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-PRW

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

4028

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant's fate unknown.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Techamutete: 29 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1988 at 0935 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

T-237

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Luanda - Techamutete

MSN:

77 04

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Techamutete Airport, the aircraft was shot down by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile and crashed in a huge explosion few hundred meters short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 29 occupants were killed, among them Brigadier General Francisco Cruz Bourzac, deputy minister for Armament in the Cuban Government.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by Cuban soldiers based near the Techamutete Airport who thought this was an enemy airplane.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Quelimane: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

African Air Charters

Registration:

N47FE

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Quelimane - Maputo

MSN:

19536

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Quelimane Airport, while climbing, the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Hennenman: 24 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1988 at 2008 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-UAS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bloemfontein - Johannesburg

MSN:

6154

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was completing a charter flight from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg, carrying a team of jockeys and trainers. While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the captain declared an emergency due to an in-flight fire in the cabin. Cleared to return to Bloemfontein Airport, the crew started an emergency descent when the aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a 45° nose-down angle in an open field located in Hennenman, about 25 km east of Welkom. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Jacob Kalt, captain,
Harold Whitehead, copilot,
Jacqueline Henderson, stewardess.
Passengers:
Keith Basel,
Lawrence Riley,
Johannes “Rooies” Fourie,
Warren Baillie,
Bennie de Wet,
Greg Holme,
Douglas Roper,
Danny Lombard,
John McMurtry,
Mark Nel,
Michael Coetzee,
Simon Rahilly,
Gordon Sterley
Graham Kent,
Dave Bullock,
Henry Havergall,
Ginger Masterton,
Johannes van der Linden,
Jacobus Viljoen,
Neville Blignaut,
Hennie van Wyk.

Probable cause:

It was determined that a high intensity fire developed under the floor of the main cabin just behind the cockpit. The airplane crashed about 2 1/2 minutes after the crew declared an emergency. No error on part of the crew was noticed during investigations and it was reported that the aircraft's maintenance was in accordance with regulations. No technical issues were found on the aircraft. Control was lost after the pilot have been intoxicated by fumes inhalation. It is believed that the fire may erupted following the failure of a fuel booster pump connected to the right engine.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-55F in Cairo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1988 at 0407 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

5N-ARH

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Billund – Cairo – Sharjah

MSN:

45859

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Billund to Sharjah with an intermediate stop in Cairo, carrying a crew of four and a load of about 100 Danish cows. Just after a night takeoff from runway 27R, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed 700 meters past the runway end, bursting into flames. All four occupants and all animals were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that one of the engine failed and caught fire shortly after rotation for unknown reasons. The crew already abandoned a first attempt to takeoff few minutes earlier for similar reasons.