Crash of a Casa CN235-220 in Monrovia: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 2013 at 0710 LT
Registration:
3X-GGG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Conakry - Monrovia
MSN:
N014
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft was carrying a delegation of Senior Officials of the Guinea Air Force to Monrovia. On final approach to Roberts Airport, the aircraft descended too low, impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located near Charlesville, some 4 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed, among them General Souleymane Kéléfa Diallo, Chief of Staff of the Guinea Army Forces. The delegation was on its way to Monrovia to take part to the celebration of the Liberia Army forces anniversary.
Probable cause:
In July 2013, the investigation board confirmed that the accident resulted of multiple errors committed by the pilots who did not carry sufficient attention to the flight and the approach procedure. Investigators also concluded that the flight crew was tired, which was considered as a contributing factor because their faculties and capacities were diminished.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Monrovia: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 2002 at 0608 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ER-ADL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
N’Djamena – Monrovia
MSN:
4 3 426 10
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While descending to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, the crew informed ATC about technical problems. The captain realized he could not reach the airport and attempted an emergency landing in an open field located about 11 km from the airfield. On impact, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. A crew member was killed while nine other occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Boeing 707-3B4C in Monrovia

Date & Time: Mar 23, 2001 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-BMV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jeddah – Monrovia
MSN:
20260
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
175
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
55500
Aircraft flight cycles:
27300
Circumstances:
On a night approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, at an altitude of about 600 feet, the crew encountered local patches of fog and visual contact with the runway was momentarily lost by the pilot-in-command. Nevertheless, he decided to continue the approach when the aircraft landed hard on runway 04. The aircraft bounced twice then lost its both right engines. Out of control, it veered off runway and came to rest about 200 metres further. All 182 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Monrovia: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1999 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N373BC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harper - Monrovia
MSN:
414-0411
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Harper on a charter flight to Monrovia, carrying five police officers and one pilot. On a night approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 4 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Monrovia

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Conakry - Monrovia
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
65
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Monrovia-Roberts Airport for unknown reasons. All 72 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154S in Monrovia

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1989 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85067
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Monrovia – Conakry – Bamako – Moscow
MSN:
74A067
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
13266
Aircraft flight cycles:
5949
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Monrovia-Roberts Intl Airport, at V2 speed, the captain elected to takeoff but the aircraft failed to rotate. Takeoff was rejected and the crew initiated an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran at a speed of 200 km/h and collided with a drainage ditch. The nose gear was torn off while the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft came to rest 487 meters past the runway end and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the ground personnel at Monrovia Airport failed to follow the agreement signed with Aeroflot regarding ground handling, export cargo transportation and calculation. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 6,604 kilos above MTOW and the CofG was 18% too far forward the permissible value. In such conditions, the aircraft was unable to takeoff.

Crash of a Cessna U-27A Caravan I off Monrovia: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ARU-021
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Monrovia - Cape Palmas
MSN:
208-0055
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Monrovia-Roberts, while in initial climb, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed in the sea few hundred meters offshore. Two passengers were rescued while 16 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Monrovia

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1980
Registration:
ARU-008
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
207-0229
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances by the Farmington River near Monrovia-Roberts Airport. Crew fate unknown. The airplane was engaged in a special flight on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Monrovia

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
EL-AAB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12054
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 72 knots, the aircraft started to veer to the right. The pilot-in-command elected to correct the deviation but the airplane veered off runway to the right. While contacting soft ground, both main gears were torn off and the airplane came to rest 160 meters further. All 25 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control during the takeoff roll was the consequence of the tire of the right main gear to be deflated.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-33 in Monrovia: 56 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1967 at 0256 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-PEA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beirut – Rome – Monrovia – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
45253/5
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
RG837
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
19
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
71
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
56
Captain / Total flying hours:
17718
Captain / Total hours on type:
1787.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
15911
Copilot / Total hours on type:
408
Aircraft flight hours:
16775
Circumstances:
VARIG Flight RG837 departed Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Italy, at 21:08 hours GMT on a flight to Monrovia, Liberia. The flight was uneventful until the crew reported at FL45, five miles from the Roberts VOR. ATC then cleared the flight to descend further down to 3000 feet on the VOR and reported a QNH of 1009 mb. The QNH was read back correctly, but the crew did not mention the descent clearance. The pilot-in-command continued to the VOR at FL45 (4500 feet). After sighting the aerodrome runway lights from vertically overhead, the pilot informed the co-pilot that despite the fact that he had the runway completely in sight he would make an IFR/VOR procedure. A VOR/Locator instrument let-down was commenced from 4500 feet over the VOR at an indicated airspeed of 210 slowing to 170 kt, descending at a rate of between 500 to 700 feet per minute until the aircraft arrived at a point inbound over the coastline at 1800 feet on a heading of 047- degrees with the gear down and 35-deg flaps for landing on runway 04. At this point the co-pilot reported: "Runway in sight a little to the left". During the approach from the coast to the airport, the pilot did not make any use of the DME. After the procedure turn, the aircraft was on the correct VOR radial and a smooth approach was carried out during which the aircraft was flown manually. After the procedure turn, the co-pilot called each 100 feet of altitude and the speed and he checked the indication of the vertical speed indicators. At an altitude of about 1000 feet, flaps were put in the full down position and shortly thereafter, at an altitude of 700-800 feet, the aircraft entered some stratus and, further down, fog patches. When entering the stratus layer, the captain told the co-pilot that it was no longer necessary to report altitude and speed and was instructed to look outside and to report as soon as he could see the runway. Over the FR locator beacon, the altitude was about 800 feet, whereas his correct altitude should have been 520 feet. He then increased his rate of descent to between 1200-1500 ft/min, by reduction of power and by pitching the nose of the aircraft down. About 15 seconds after passing FR the co-pilot reported runway in sight, saying also that the visibility was poor and that they were too low. Descent was continued until the DC-8 impacted the ground 6023 feet from the threshold of runway 04, 180 feet to the right of the runway extended centre line with the aircraft coming to rest after a ground slide of approximately 850 feet. The aircraft caught fire and was totally destroyed. A crew members, 50 passengers and five people on a house were killed.
Probable cause:
The failure of the pilot-in-command to arrest in time the fast descent at a low altitude upon which he had erroneously decided, instead of executing a missed approach when he found himself too high over the locator beacon. The following findings were reported:
- The captain did not make use of the available navigational aids by disregarding the indications of his distance measuring equipment during final approach,
- At an altitude below 1 000 ft, the aircraft entered a stratus layer, which at that time completely obscured the runway,
- At the FR, positioned 1.7 NM before the runway threshold, the pilot-in-command saw that his altitude was 800 ft, whereas the correct altitude should have been 520 ft. Contrary to company instructions, he increased his rate of descent to between 1 200-1 500 ft/min by reducing engine power and pitching the nose of the aircraft down, with the intention to arrest his descent at about 500 ft,
- The attempt to level off was insufficient and/or too late, with the result that the aircraft touched the ground some 6 000 ft before the runway threshold when his glide path angle must have been 4.50 or more,
- During impact and the subsequent ground slide of about 850 it, the aircraft broke,up and caught fire,
- Those crew members who escaped relatively unhurt, once outside, might have directed more effort in further evacuation,
- The fire crew acted promptly, but its limited force and the necessary elapse time to reach the scene of the accident prevented them from saving people who might not yet have died.
Final Report: