Crash of a BAe 125-700B off Dakar: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 2015 at 1812 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6V-AIM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ouagadougou - Dakar
MSN:
257062
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
7658
Captain / Total hours on type:
2158.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3339
Aircraft flight hours:
13279
Aircraft flight cycles:
11877
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ouagadougou Airport at the end of the afternoon on an ambulance flight to Dakar-Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport with one patient, one doctor, two nurses and three crew members on board. After entering in contact with Dakar Control, the crew was cleared to FL340, an altitude that was confirmed by the crew at 1801LT. But the airplane continued and climbed to FL350. At 1812LT, the aircraft collided with a Boeing 737-8FB operated by Ceiba Intercontinental. Registered 3C-LLY, the B737 was operating the flight CEL071 Dakar - Cotonou - Malabo with 104 passengers and 8 crew members on board. Immediately after the collision, the BAe 125 entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Atlantic Ocean about 111 km off Dakar. The pilot of the Boeing 737 informed ATC about a possible collision and continued to Malabo without further problem. Nevertheless, the top of the right winglet of the Boeing 737 was missing. SAR operations were suspended after a week and no trace of the BAe 125 nor the 7 occupants was ever found.
Probable cause:
The collision was the consequence of an error on part of the crew of the BAe 125 who failed to follow his assigned altitude at FL340 and continued to FL350 which was the assigned altitude for the Boeing 737. The captain of the B737 confirmed that he have seen the aircraft descending to him. Only the flight recorders could have helped to determine how such a situation could have occurred; Unfortunately they disappeared with the plane. There was a difference of 1,000 feet in the indications of both captain/copilot altimeters.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-7L9 in Conakry

Date & Time: Jul 28, 2010 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TS-IEA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nouakchott - Dakar - Conakry
MSN:
28014/766
YOM:
2001
Flight number:
MTW620
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
91
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Nouakchott in he evening of July 27 on a regular schedule service to Conakry with an intermediate stop in Dakar, carrying 91 passengers and a crew of six. Following an uneventful flight from Dakar, the crew started a night approach to Conakry-Gbessia Airport. After touchdown on a wet runway (due to recent rain falls), the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, collided with the ILS antenna and some approach lights, lost its nose gear and came to rest 500 metres further. Ten passengers were injured while all 87 other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew, causing the aircraft to land half way down the runway and reducing the landing distance available. The crew failed to follow SOP's and to initiate a go-around procedure as the landing was obviously missed.

Crash of a Boeing 747-228F in Brussels

Date & Time: Oct 27, 2008 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CBA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels – Dakar – Campinas
MSN:
24158/714
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
BB3101
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11360
Captain / Total hours on type:
260.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3536
Copilot / Total hours on type:
570
Aircraft flight hours:
82357
Aircraft flight cycles:
15773
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Brussels airport at 15:00 UTC. Upon rotation, the crew heard an abnormal noise, and had difficulties to get the aircraft in the air. After adjusting the engine power, the aircraft took off. Observers on the ground saw two white clouds appearing successively under the tail of the aircraft upon rotation, followed by flames. The inspection of the runway revealed that parts separated from the aircraft, amongst which the APU access door. The aircraft dumped the excess of fuel and landed back in Brussels at 16.20 UTC. Inspection on the ground revealed that large portions of the underside skin of the tail section were missing.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by an inadequate take-off performance calculation, due to wrong gross weight data input error in the software used for the computation of the takeoff performance parameters and the failure to comply with the operator’s SOP for checking the validity of the data.
Contributing factor(s):
- Inadequate pairing of crew members with low experience.
- Lack of distraction management.
Final Report:

Ground accident of an Airbus A300B4-203 in Dakar

Date & Time: Feb 12, 2000 at 0056 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TU-TAT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dakar - Paris
MSN:
282
YOM:
1983
Flight number:
RK304
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
171
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
38400
Aircraft flight cycles:
19600
Circumstances:
While taxiing for departure at Dakar-Yoff Airport, the left main gear unsafe alarm came on in the cockpit panel. The captain decided to return to the apron to proceed to an inspection when the left main gear collapsed. The engine n°1 struck the ground and partially torn off. A fire erupted and quickly spread to the left wing. All 182 occupants evacuated safely but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. It just came out from a C Check maintenance program.
Probable cause:
A crossing of the flexible tubing of the hydraulic connection controlling the locking of the left gear failed, causing the left main gear to retract.

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

Date & Time: May 29, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6V-AGH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dakar - Mbour
MSN:
31-205
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
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 NAMC YS-11A-117 in Dakar

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1993 at 1839 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C5-GAA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dakar - Banjul
MSN:
2030
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Saint Louis, a Twin Otter operated by Air Sénégal was cleared to descend to Dakar-Yoff Airport and was instructed to maintain 3,000 feet over YF VOR. At the same time, the NAMC YS-11 departed Dakar-Yoff Airport on a regular schedule flight to Banjul. Registered C5-GAA, the aircraft was carrying 34 passengers and a crew of four. Its pilots were instructed to climb via radial 140 and maintain the altitude of 2,000 feet while over YF VOR. When both aircraft reached the YF VOR, they collided. While the crew of the NAMC was able to return to Dakar and land safely despite the left wing was partially torn off, the Twin Otter entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea few km offshore. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both crew failed to respect their assigned altitude, causing both aircraft to collide. At the time of the accident, the Twin Otter was about 100-300 feet too low and the NAMC was about 700-900 feet too high.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 off Dakar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1993 at 1839 LT
Operator:
Registration:
6V-ADE
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint-Louis - Dakar
MSN:
393
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Saint Louis, the crew was cleared to descend to Dakar-Yoff Airport and was instructed to maintain 3,000 feet over YF VOR. At the same time, a NAMC YS-11A-117 operated by Gambia Airways departed Dakar-Yoff Airport on a regular schedule flight to Banjul. Registered C5-GAA, the aircraft was carrying 34 passengers and a crew of four. Its pilots were instructed to climb via radial 140 and maintain the altitude of 2,000 feet while over YF VOR. When both aircraft reached the YF VOR, they collided. While the crew of the NAMC was able to return to Dakar and land safely despite the left wing was partially torn off, the Twin Otter entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea few km offshore. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both crew failed to respect their assigned altitude, causing both aircraft to collide. At the time of the accident, the Twin Otter was about 100-300 feet too low and the NAMC was about 700-900 feet too high.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in Dakar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5903
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dakar - Dakar
MSN:
45071
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
Engine problems for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M in Mendeleyevo: 90 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1982 at 0035 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-86513
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Dakar - Freetown
MSN:
4037536
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
SU411
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
82
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
90
Aircraft flight hours:
4818
Aircraft flight cycles:
1139
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport on a regular schedule service to Freetown with an intermediate stop in Dakar. After takeoff from runway 24R at Sheremetyevo Airport, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear. Eight seconds later, the fire alarm for engine n°1 sounded. The crew shut down the engine in accordance with the Flight Manual and used the three stages of fire suppression systems. Thirty seconds later, the fire alarm coupled to the engine n°2 sounded as well. The same procedure was adopted for the second engine and the crew declared an emergency. At a speed of 320 km/h and a height of 160 meters with the undercarriage retracted and the flaps down at 30°, the pilot-in-command initiated a right turn. Unfortunately, he was unable to maintain a safe altitude and the airplane lost speed and height while in a high angle of attack. From a height of 75 meters, the airplane stalled, banked left to 70° then nosed down 20° and crashed in a wooded area located in Mendeleyevo, about 11,4 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 90 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both fire alarms on engines n°1 and 2 were false. Hot air from a ruptured pipe of the air conditioning system had blown on the temperature sensors.

Crash of a Boeing 707-330C near Rio de Janeiro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1979 at 1832 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABUY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Dakar – Frankfurt
MSN:
20395/848
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
LH527
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
7969
Captain / Total hours on type:
996.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3537
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2631
Circumstances:
Flight 527 was cleared for a No.16 departure by ground control and was instructed to make a right turn after takeoff, heading the Caxias VOR, climbing to and maintaining 2000 feet. The aircraft took off from runway 27 at 21:27. Approach control then asked the crew to increase their speed. The speed increased progressively to 304 knots, exceeding the 250 knots maximum speed inside the terminal control area below 10000 feet. While Flight 527 was flying towards mountainous terrain and increasing its speed (in the north sector of the radar scope), the controller was busy vectoring an excessive amount of traffic in the south sector. The assistant departure controller failed to monitor the traffic. When the controller turned his attention to LH527 again, he was surprised by the position of the aircraft and instructed 'LH, turn right heading 140, just now, over'. The controller repeated his instructions and instructed the crew to increase their rate of climb. At that time the GPWS sounded in the cockpit. The aircraft struck trees on the slope of a mountain in a nose-up, left wing down attitude and continued 800 m while breaking up.
Probable cause:
It is clear that there was a breakdown in teamwork of the personnel on duty in Rio approach control at that time. The departure controller, through incomplete instructions, caused LH527 to fly for a period of time on a heading and at an altitude that led the aircraft to collision. The assistant controller, the co-ordinator and the supervisor on duty did not support the departure controller as they should have done. A contributing factor was that the crew accepted the incomplete ATC instructions (no clearance limit or alternate procedure) and flew during 1 min 41s without bilateral communications and in potential danger inherent in these incomplete instructions.
Final Report: