Dakar Region | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After touchdown, the four engine aircraft christened 'Maestrale' went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All 13 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III off Dakar: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

ML851

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Dakar-Yoff Airport, the seaplane registered ML851 (7.F-1) went out of control and crashed into the sea off the suburb of Les Almadies. All ten crew members were killed.

Crash of an Avro 685 York in Dakar: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHEZ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

London – Lisbon – Dakar – Natal – Rio de Janeiro

MSN:

1303

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Dakar-Yoff Airport, the captain decided to go around due to low visibility causes by poor weather conditions. A second and a third attempt to land were aborted few minutes later. During the fourth attempt, while short of fuel, the aircraft landed hard and the undercarriage were sheared off. The aircraft slid on its belly for several yards and came to rest, broken in two. Six passengers were killed while nine other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Regarding the flight plan, there was too great errors in the ETA and the endurance was inexact. Lack of decision on the part of the pilot who, after his second attempt to land, and in view of his insufficient petrol reserve, should have carried out the diversionary plan.
The lighting of the runways was inadequate: there were no approach lights and there are no wireless facilities for landing in bad visibility at Dakar-Yoff Airport.
Contributory Causes:
Difficulties in exchange of radio telephony communications between the control tower and the aircraft,
Insufficient knowledge of the English language by the controllers in the tower, according to the Americans and British,
As regards to the crew, there certainly appears to have been a slight nervousness during the attempts to land,
The danger to passengers in the case of cabin fuselage below the wing in the event of a forced landing elsewhere than on a runway,
Lack of knowledge of the alternate airfield of Thies by BSAA crews. Thies was given on the old general aeronautical maps but at the time of the accident, no schedule for this aerodrome has yet been published by the Aeronautical Information Section. This schedule was available following the publication of the final investigation report.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth near Dakar

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1945

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

44-90485

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Few minutes after take off from Dakar-Yoff Airport, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed some 10 miles northeast of the airport and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The pilot, 2nd Lt Frank L. Loftus, was injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Dakar

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15177

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

19643

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on take off for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Dakar

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15089

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

19555

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on take off in unknown circumstances.

Crash of a Vickers 458 Wellington XI in Gorée: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 458 Wellington XI

Operator:

Registration:

MP691

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dakar - Dakar

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

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Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances on Gorée Island, off Dakar. Two crew members were killed and five others were injured.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus I off Dakar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1940 at 0916 LT

Type of aircraft:

Supermarine Walrus

Operator:

Registration:

L2247

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The floatplane departed HMAS Australia to spot the shell fire during the bombardment of the French fleet at Dakar when it was shot down by the pilot of a Vichy French Curtiss 75 and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Dakar. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt George John Isiah Clarke +2.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Vichy French fighter.