Zimbabwe

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Victoria Falls – Kariba – Salisbury

MSN:

297

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

RH825

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft departed Kariba Airport at 1710LT bound for Salisbury. While climbing, the crew declared an emergency after a SAM-7 missile struck the right wing. With both right engines out of service, the pilots reduced the altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in the Whamira Hills, about 35 km southeast of Kariba. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and 38 occupants were killed while 18 other survived. Members of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) arrived quickly on the scene and killed 10 of the 18 survivors. A day later, rescuers arrived at the crash site and were able to evacuate eight survivors.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) SAM-7 missile.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Buffalo Range: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R7034

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Skydiving / Paratroopers

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Buffalo Range - Buffalo Range

MSN:

16662/33410

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a paratroopers mission in the region of Buffalo Range. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing at low height, the twin engine airplane struck power cables, stalled and crashed. Both pilots and a paratrooper were killed while five other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
- S/L Peter Arthur Barnett,
- F/Lt David Edwin Mallett,
- Cpl Anthony Bradley.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Rushinga

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

R3707

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Rushinga-Forward Airfield

MSN:

16198/32946

YOM:

1945

Location:

Mashonaland Central

Country:

Zimbabwe

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5818

Circumstances:

After touchdown, the airplane ground looped due to brake failure. Both propeller detached and the airplane came to rest with its left main gear partially torn off. Both pilots Ed Paintin and Frank Wingrove were uninjured while the flight engineer John Mitchell was slightly wounded. The aircraft was trucked to Salisbury for repair but was later considered as written off.

Probable cause:

Failure of the brake systems upon landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Salisbury: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1961 at 1102 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Rhodesian Air Services

Registration:

VP-YRX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Salisbury - Livingstone - Elizabethville

MSN:

19351

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6023

Captain / Total hours on type:

4620.00

Aircraft flight hours:

18716

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on a charter flight to Livingstone to pick up United Nations troops (34 Swedish blue helmets) on leave and take them back to Elizabethville. It took off from Salisbury Airport, and shortly after take-off suddenly dipped its right wing. After a slow recovery, it climbed away to between 100 - 150 ft and then went into a turn to the left with the port propeller windmilling. This turn continued to get steeper until the aircraft rolled over and dived inverted to the ground less than 600 yd southeast of the threshold of runway 06. Fire broke out but was quickly extinguished. The pilot and co-pilot were killed as a result of the accident, and the stewardess was seriously injured. No passengers were aboard the flight. The accident occurred at 0902 hours GMT.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by failure of the pilot to execute a successful single engine forced landing after concluding that there had been a power loss in the port engine. Evidence indicated that a failure of the port engine did not, in fact, occur. The pre-take-off rudder trimmer check was not carried out correctly as laid down in the checklist, and the aircraft took off with full left rudder trim applied. Once airborne this was misinterpreted as port engine failure, and the port propeller was feathered. No apparent action was taken by the pilot to correct the ensuing critical speed yaw.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Salisbury: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1958 at 1252 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

F-BGTZ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Johannesburg – Salisbury – Brazzaville – Algiers – Nice – Paris

MSN:

43827/337

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

UT736

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was operating UAT scheduled service UT736 from Johannesburg to Paris. It took off from Salisbury Airport at 1252LT for Brazzaville and during takeoff from runway 24 entered rain. The aircraft climbed to about 50 feet and then began to lose airspeed and height. Although the captain was using full power, had 20" of flap extended and the undercarriage retracted, he was unable to prevent the aircraft sinking back on to the ground. Fire broke out immediately after impact. Of the 7 crew and 63 passengers on board, three passengers were killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft struck the ground shortly after take-off as a result of an uncontrollable loss of airspeed and height due to a sudden squall accompanying the onset of a thunderstorm.

Final Report:

Crash of a Vickers 610 Viking 1B in Salisbury: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

VP-YMO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Salisbury – Salisbury

MSN:

227

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local training sortie at Salisbury Airport. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed 3 km from the airfield. Both pilots were killed. It is believed the accident was caused by an error on part of the copilot.

Crash of a Vickers 616 Viking AB in Salisbury

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1955 at 1427 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

VP-YEX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Johannesburg – Salisbury

MSN:

159

YOM:

1946

Flight number:

CAA120

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Jan Smuts Airport at 1115LT on a scheduled flight to Belvedere Airport, Salisbury, under VFR conditions, carrying 23 passengers and a crew of 5. At 1427LT, while approaching runway 27 from the east on final approach during a thunderstorm, the undercarriage struck the ground a short distance to the north and east of the threshold of runway 27, causing the starboard tire to burst, the starboard leg of the undercarriage to break and the starboard propeller engine to be severely damaged. The pilot endeavored to undertake overshoot procedure but as the starboard engine and propeller could not deliver power and the aircraft was at a speed below the minimum required for effective control, he was obliged to make a crash landing. No one was injured but the aircraft was extensively damaged.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused not by mechanical defect of the aircraft nor by the conduct of the pilot but by a combination of unusual and unexpected circumstances . Had the sudden downpour of rain not taken place at the critical moment, it is almost certain that no accident would have occurred.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Salisbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1955 at 0920 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VP-YKO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: