Africa

About 20 minutes after takeoff from Abidjan-Port-Bouet Airport, while cruising over the Atlantic Ocean, the fire alarm on engine n°1 sounded. As the fuel temperature was abnormally high, it was decided to shut down the engine. The captain declared an emergency and was cleared to return. On approach, he was cleared to land on runway 03 but preferred to land on runway 21 that was equipped with an ILS system. After completing a back circuit by night but in relative good visibility, the airplane passed over the Abidjan VOR then the pilot-in-command initiated a left turn when the stall warning sounded. While completing a left turn in a flaps and landing gear up configuration, the airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in the forest of Akakro located about 10 km northeast of Abidjan Airport, near the city of Bingerville. A passenger was seriously injured while 50 other occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Bata Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency and elected to return. Unfortunately, an emergency landing was not possible as another aircraft was blocking the runway according to ATC. While returning, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in the sea few hundred meters offshore. The wreckage was found in shallow water and all 22 occupants were killed. The right engine apparently failed during initial climb and was not functioning at impact.

On approach to Casablanca-Nouasseur Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft crashed into houses located 2 km short of runway. All eight occupants were killed as well as two people on the ground.

The crew (two instructors and two student pilots) were engaged in a local training flight at Casablanca-Nouasseur Airport. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances, killing all four occupants.

The Tupolev 134 departed Mbala (MMQ), Zambia, for a flight back to Maputo (MPM). The flight carried Mozambique president Samora Machel who had attended a meeting of African leaders in Zambia. While approaching Maputo, an inadvertent selection of the MATSAPA VOR frequency caused the crew to execute a premature 37-degrees turn. Although the pilot queried the turn, no effort was made to verify it by using the available navigational aids. The aircraft descended below the 3000 feet limit in spite of not having visual contact with Maputo. The crew erroneously assumed a power failure at Maputo. A 32-second GPWS warning was ignored and the aircraft collided with the ground at 2187 feet, bounced and crashed into an uphill slope. The aircraft broke up, slid across the South African/Eswatini border and caught fire. Machel, along with 33 other occupants did not survive the accident.

The four engine aircraft was engaged in a locust spraying mission in Senegal on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development. It was carrying one passenger, three crew members and a load of pesticides. Shortly after takeoff from Dakar-Yoff Airport, while in initial climb, white smoke was coming from the engine n°3 while the engine n°4 fire alarm sounded. The engine n°4 was shut down and its propeller was feathered when the aircraft lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. The passenger was seriously injured while all three crew members were killed.

Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the approach to Pietersburg-Gateway Airport. On descent, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was limited. Due to excessive workload in the cockpit, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when, at an altitude of 5,200 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Haenertsburg, about 55 km east of Pietersburg Airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four occupants were killed.

After takeoff from Malakal Airport, while climbing, the aircraft was shot down by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile and crashed. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 60 occupants were killed.

After landing at Calabar Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties to stop in time. It overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

During the takeoff roll at Tabou Airport, one of the nose gear tyre burst. The crew decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. All 29 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.