Zone
Kano

Crash of a Fokker F28 Fellowship 1000 in Kano: 16 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1978 at 1243 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F28 Fellowship
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ANA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Abuja - Kano
MSN:
11993
YOM:
1970
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Aircraft flight hours:
10625
Aircraft flight cycles:
13303
Circumstances:
While descending to Kano-Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, the crew was instructed to maintain FL65 as a Nigerian Air Force MiG-21 was performing touch-and-go maneuvers at the same airport. After the jet trainer completed its touch-and-go and was taking off, its crew was informed about the approach of the F28 which should land first on runway 05. On short final, both aircraft collided and crashed in flames about 2 km short of runway threshold. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed. The exact circumstances and causes of the in-flight collision are unclear.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Linoghin: 47 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
TZ-ABE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Bamako - Kano - Mecca - Jeddah - Khartoum - Kano - Bamako
MSN:
181 0033 04
YOM:
1961
Location:
Linoghin
Zoundwéogo (Manga)
Country:
Burkina Faso
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
47
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a monthly schedule flight from Bamako to Saudi Arabia. En route from Bamako to Kano, ATC informed the crew about the deterioration of the weather conditions and instructed the pilots to divert to Niamey. In marginal weather conditions, the crew apparently lost his orientation and probably following a navigational error, the airplane flew to the west when the crew realized he was flying over the region of Ouagadougou, about 400 km southwest of Niamey. Shortly later, as he was short of fuel, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in an open field located in Linoghin, about 40 km east of Ouagadougou. Two crew members and 11 passengers were injured while 47 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a fuel exhaustion caused by probable navigational errors on part of the crew who lost his orientation in poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Boeing 707-3D3C in Kano: 176 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1973 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
JY-ADO
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:
Jeddah - Lagos
MSN:
20494/850
YOM:
1971
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
193
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
176
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Jeddah to Lagos on behalf of Nigeria Airways, carrying Nigerian pilgrims flying back home. En route, the crew was informed about bad weather in Lagos and was rerouted to Kano-Mallam Aminu Kano Airport. On final approach, the pilot-in-command encountered mist when during the last segment, control was lost. The airplane nosed down and struck the runway surface with its nose gear first. On impact, the nose gear collapsed then both main gears touched the ground and punctured the fuel tanks. Out of control, the airplane skidded on runway, lost its both left engines then made a 180 turn before coming to rest in flames. Three crew members and 23 passengers were rescued while 176 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. Up to date, this was the worst plane crash in History.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remain unclear. Nevertheless, it is believed that control was lost on short final due to wake turbulences and the aircraft adopted a nose-down attitude before crashing onto the runway.

Crash of a Vickers VC-10-1101 in Lagos: 87 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1969 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers VC-10
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London - Rome - Kano - Lagos
MSN:
804
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
WT825
Location:
Lagos-Murtala Muhammed
Lagos
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
76
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
87
Aircraft flight hours:
18431
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kano, the crew started the descent to Lagos-Ikeja Airport. The captain was cleared for a straight-in approach but encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions. On final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees and crashed 13 km short of runway 19. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 87 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. The FDR was found undamaged but the British AAIB engineers reported it was unreadable as the data consisted only of a stream of alternating ones and zeros. Apparently there had been a fault in one of the logic units of the system, something which could not be detected from the flight deck. No readable data could be reconstructed from this. Nevertheless, it is believed that the flying crew led the aircraft descending below the minimum safe altitude while still under control.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Kano: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kano – Kaduna
MSN:
443
YOM:
1964
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kano Airport, the float equipped aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all seven occupants, among them ex Minister Sanna Buker.

Crash of a Boeing 720-060B in Beirut

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1968 at 1833 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 720
Operator:
Registration:
ET-AAG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lagos - Kano - Beirut
MSN:
18454/319
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
ME272
Location:
Beirut
Beirut Governorate
Country:
Lebanon
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
15780
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Lagos via Kano, the crew started the approach to Beirut in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, turbulences and wind gusting to 45 knots. On short final, the airplane was unstable and landed nose gear first. On impact, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All 49 occupants were rescued, 10 of them were injured. The aircraft was partially consumed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-1-DC Skymaster in Kano: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1961 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Continentale Deutsche Luftreederei
Registration:
D-ABEB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hamburg – Luxembourg – Tripoli – Kano – Léopoldville
MSN:
10530
YOM:
1945
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
13000
Captain / Total hours on type:
4000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
600
Aircraft flight hours:
32850
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Tripoli, the crew started a night approach to Kano-Intl Airport. On final, the airplane struck the ground 3,2 km short of runway 07 threshold and crashed. A passenger was killed while six other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of an error of judgement on the part of the captain, who, after sighting the runway lights, concentrated on keeping them in sight and failed to make adequate reference to his flight instruments. As a result, he allowed the aircraft to descend below the obstacle clearance limit of 360 feet. In the darkness with no ground reference, the distant runway lights gave him insufficient guidance as to his height and angle of approach, and he was unaware that the aircraft had descended to ground level. The fatigue of the captain and the failure to put the aircraft's landing lights ON were considered as contributing factors.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadair C-4M Argonaut in Kano: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1956 at 1722 LT
Type of aircraft:
Canadair C-4 North Star
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALHE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lagos – Kano – Tripoli – London
MSN:
151
YOM:
1949
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed runway 25 at Kano Airport for Tripoli in moderate rain and climbed to an altitude of 250 feet. The aircraft then began to lose height rapidly and although the pilot-in- command ordered full power, the descent could not be checked. Notwithstanding the increased power he was unable to prevent it striking a tree and the aircraft crashed about 1,5 mile from the end of the runway. Three crew members and 29 passengers were killed. At time of takeoff, the reported weather conditions on runway 25 were as follows: cloud 3/8, base at 2,500 feet, wind 270° at 20 knots, visibility 1,500 yards and moderate rain.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of loss of height and airspeed caused by the aircraft en- countering, at approximately 250 feet after takeoff, an unpredictable thunderstorm cell which gave rise to a sudden reversal of wind direction, heavy rain, and possible downdraught conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes IV near Atar: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1952 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALDN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
London – Tripoli – Kano
MSN:
81/15
YOM:
1950
Flight number:
BA251
Location:
Atar
Adrar
Country:
Mauritania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off on a scheduled service from Tripoli to Kano with a crew of eight and ten passengers. The weather forecast indicated fine weather en route and thunderstorms in the Kano area. Due to faulty use of the variation setting control on the Gyrosyn compass and the inability of the crew to determine the aircraft's position properly by the standard methods, the aircraft, with practically no fuel and over the desert, made a wheels-up landing in a wide depression littered with shifting sand-dunes surrounded by rocky escarpments. The port wing was torn off and the remainder of the aircraft slewed left and came to a standstill without breaking up. No fire resulted and all passengers and crew were evacuated without difficulty. Six were slightly injured but the copilot died five days later as a result of exhaustion brought about by strain and heat.
Probable cause:
Causes of the accident, in chronological order, are set out by the report as follows:
- Faulty use by the navigator of the variation setting control on the CL2 Gyrosyn compass,
- Faulty checking of compasses by incorrect astral bearing and without the aid of radio bearings,
- Incorrect inference drawn by the captain in pronouncing the CL2 Gyrosyn compass correct and the P.12 magnetic compass unserviceable,
- Fault on the part of the captain in not returning to Tripoli when the P.12 compass was regarded as unserviceable (in breach of BOAC regulations),
- Inability of the crew to realize that astro shots were being taken on the wrong stars,
- Inability of the crew to determine the aircraft's position properly by the standard methods when the VSC setting error was discovered,
- Lack of decisive action on the part of the captain once he knew he had lost his way,
- Ignorance, on the part of those on board, of the assistance which could have been afforded by Atar airfield.
Final Report:

Crash of a Vickers Valetta C.1 in Zalingei

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
VW833
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kano – Al Fashir
MSN:
394
YOM:
6
Location:
Zalingei
Central Darfur
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising over the region of Zalingei, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot in command reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a dry river located near Zalingei. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest. All six occupants were unhurt while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.
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