Crash of an Embraer ERJ-190AR in the Bwabwata National Park: 33 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 2013 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C9-EMC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Maputo - Luanda
MSN:
190-00581
YOM:
2012
Flight number:
LAM470
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Captain / Total flying hours:
9052
Captain / Total hours on type:
2519.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1183
Copilot / Total hours on type:
101
Aircraft flight hours:
2905
Aircraft flight cycles:
1877
Circumstances:
Aircraft left Maputo Airport at 1126LT on flight LAM470 to Luanda, Angola. En route, while overflying Botswana and Namibia, aircraft encountered bad weather conditions with CB's at high altitude and turbulence. In unknown circumstances, aircraft went out of control and disappeared from radar screens at 1230LT, most probably after diving into the ground. As the aircraft did not arrive at Luanda, SAR commenced but were suspended by night due to low visibility and bad weather conditions (heavy rain falls). The day after, on 30NOV, Namibia Police forces announced they located the wreckage in the Bwabwata National Park, near Divundu. Aircraft was completely destroyed by impact forces and post impact fire. All 33 occupants were killed, among them 16 Mozambicans, 9 Angolans, 5 Portuguese, one French, one Brazilian and one Chinese. The aircraft crashed in a dense wooded and isolated area, sot SAR are difficult. No distress call was sent by the crew.
Probable cause:
A press conference provided by the Mozambican authorities on 21DEC2013 reported that CVR analysis revealed that the captain was alone in the cockpit which was locked. The copilot tried to enter without success and was knocking on the door several times, without answer or any reaction on part of the captain who engaged the aircraft in a descent rate of 6,000 feet per minute until impact with the ground. Several warning sounds and alarms were not responded to. On April 15, 2016, the Directorate of Aircraft Accident Investigations (DAAI) of Namibia confirmed in its final report that the accident was caused by the inputs to the auto flight systems by the person believed to be the Captain, who remained alone on the flight deck when the person believed to be the co-pilot requested to go to the lavatory, caused the aircraft to departure from cruise flight to a sustained controlled descent and subsequent collision with the terrain. Investigations revealed that the captain suffered personal events during the past year, such as a divorce, the death of his son in a car crash and one of his daughter that underwent heart surgery.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 1900C-1 in Maputo

Date & Time: Dec 3, 2010 at 2340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C9-AUO
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nampula - Maputo
MSN:
UC-148
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The flight from Nampula was uneventful until the approach to Maputo. Due to bad weather conditions at destination, the crew was vectored to a holding pattern. After two circuits, the captain decided to start the descent despite ATC informed him about very poor conditions. At this time, the visibility was reduced due to the night, heavy rain falls, thunderstorm activity with turbulences and lightnings. On final approach to runway 23, the aircraft was too low and impacted ground short of runway in a slight nose-up attitude. Upon impact, the aircraft broke in two and came to rest in a field. All 17 occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P2 Bandeirante in Maputo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 2000 at 1007 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C9-AUH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Maputo - Manzini
MSN:
110-186
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Maputo Airport in excellent weather conditions, the aircraft lost height and crashed onto several houses located in the 25th June district near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 18 occupants were rescued. Unfortunately, a woman in a house was killed. All passengers were students going back home.

Crash of a Boeing 747SP-44 in Maputo

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1998 at 0955 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-SPF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Maputo - Lisbon
MSN:
21263
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Maputo Airport, while climbing, the engine n°3 failed, exploded and caught fire. Debris struck the engine n°4 and punctured the right wing and a fuel tank, causing a severe fire. The crew was cleared for an immediate return. Following a normal approach and landing, the aircraft was stopped on the main runway and all 66 occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2B1 in Lichinga

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C9-BAD
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Maputo - Lichinga
MSN:
20786
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
TM195
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
102
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach and landing at Lichinga Airport was completed in heavy rain falls. After touchdown, the aircraft suffered aquaplaning and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost a gear and an engine then came to rest few dozen meters further. All 108 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond.

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

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1988
Registration:
N47FE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Quelimane - Maputo
MSN:
19536
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Quelimane Airport, while climbing, the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A-3 in Komatipoort: 34 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1986 at 2121 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C9-CAA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Mbala – Maputo
MSN:
63457
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Captain / Total flying hours:
13056
Captain / Total hours on type:
7523.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3790
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2380
Aircraft flight hours:
1105
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was that the flight crew failed to follow procedural requirements for an instrument let-down approach , but continued to descend under visual flight rules in darkness and some cloud, i.e. without having visual contact with the ground, below minimum safe altitude, and in addition the ignored GPWS alarm.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Maputo: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1986
Operator:
Registration:
7312
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Maputo - Harare
MSN:
9492
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Maputo Airport, while climbing, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed. Five occupants were injured while 17 others were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Pemba: 49 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1986 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
042
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pemba - Maputo
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Pemba Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency following engine problems. The crew was cleared to return and initiated a turn when one of the engine caught fire. The airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Five passengers were rescued while 44 others were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Chongoene: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C9-AMV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vilanculos – Maputo
MSN:
219
YOM:
1970
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The departure from Vilanculos was postponed due to technical problems. An engineer was expected for about 48 hours but failed to come. The pilot decided to conduct the flight despite the problems were not resolved. En route, while cruising along the shore, he encountered technical problems and attempted to make an emergency landing on a beach when the aircraft crashed. All five occupants were killed.