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Ground collision of two Lockheed L-382B-1C Hercules in Ndola

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9J-RBX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4137
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
4704
Circumstances:
While parked at Ndola Airport, the aircraft was struck by another Zambian Air Cargoes C-130 registered 9J-RCY. Following the collision, a fire erupted and both aircraft were destroyed. There were no casualties. 9J-RBX was empty at the time of the accident. For more details, refer to file 9J-RCY.
Probable cause:
The collision resulted from failure to halt the aircraft when it was decided to shut down No. 2 engine. A contributory cause was that the crew lacked a ready understanding of the mechanics of the aircraft hydraulic systems. The aircraft was not being operated in accordance with the requirements of the Certificate of Airworthiness and there was thug a contravention of Section 23(1) of the Air Navigation Regulations, Had permission been requested to operate in accordance with the R.A.F. Flight Reference Cards an the delivery Flight, it is probable that, after the cards had been studied and in view of the fact that the Captain was used ta operating in accordance with the cards, the necessary action would no doubt have been taken to authorise their use for the one flight.
Final Report:

Ground collision of two Lockheed L-382B-1C Hercules in Ndola

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9J-RCY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cambridge - Benina - Entebbe - Ndola - Lusaka
MSN:
4109
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Captain / Total hours on type:
140.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
800
Aircraft flight hours:
2339
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed from Cambridge, England, about mid-morning on 9 April 1968, and landed at Benina, where a night stop was made. The flight was continued on 10 April, with landings at Entebbe and Lusaka, where government-owned cargo was unloaded. On 11 April, the aircraft was due to be ferried to its normal base at Ndda, but the Air Turbine Motor (A.T.M) was found to be unserviceable. As the fault could not be ascertained and spares were not available, external power was used for initial engine start and all pre-taxi and taxi checks were carried out satisfactorily. On reaching the take-off holding point, reverse thrust checks were carried out and on returning to ground idle on No. 2 engine, the nacelle overheat light came on. On pulling the fire shut-off handle on No. 2 engine, the overheat light went out immediately. The Flight Engineer carried out a visual inspection of the engine and reported that there were no visible signs of fire. It was assumed that the overheat warning had been due to the tail wind and reverse thrust check, a possible occurrence under the prevailing conditions. A dry motorover was carried out to reduce Turbine Inlet Temperature (T.1.T) and a restart made. All indications were normal and a further reverse thrust check was carried out on engines 2 arid 3. All readinge were normal. The normal checks were carried out, engine run-up and pre-take-off checks made and the Captain briefed the crew regarding emergency in flight procedures. The take-off was completed and the flight to Ndola was without incident and, except for the A.T.M., all systems functioned normally. On approaching -Ndola, the "field approach check and the "pre-landing check" were carried out. According to the statement of the Flight Engineer, all.systems were normal. A normal landing was made, using reverse thrust on all four engines. Towards the end of the taxi run, the First Officer advised the Captain that: "Now we have no ATM". The Captain gave orders to cut engines 1 and 4 when on the perimeter track and the aircraft proceeded on engines 2 and 3. On reaching the parking area, a right turn was commenced to enter the area. Shortly after this point, both co-pilot and engineer claim to have advised the Captain that No. 2 engine nacelle overheat warning light was on. The Captain momentarily considered whether the warning was genuine or spurious, decided to accept that it was genuine and called for No. 2 "Fire T. Handle" to be pulled on No. 2 engine was then shut down. When No. 2 engine was shut down, the aircraft was being marshalled and was commencing a turn to the left and approaching a parked Hercules aircraft, 9J-RBX, approximately 100 ft ahead. It was the intention that aircraft 9J-RCY be parked alongside 9J-RBX. Aircraft 9J-RCY was approaching the port side of 9J-RBX at an angle of about 45°, and was in the final turn to park alongside 9J-RBX when steering and brake pressures became exhausted. The nose wheel castored, this being seen by the ground crew around 9J-RBX, and 9J-RCY straightened up and collided with the port wing of 9J-RBX, No. 3 engine propeller cutting through some 12 ft of the wing. Fire broke out immediately
Probable cause:
The collision resulted from failure to halt the aircraft when it was decided to shut down No. 2 engine. A contributory cause was that the crew lacked a ready understanding of the mechanics of the aircraft hydraulic systems. The aircraft was not being operated in accordance with the requirements of the Certificate of Airworthiness and there was thug a contravention of Section 23(1) of the Air Navigation Regulations, Had permission been requested to operate in accordance with the R.A.F. Flight Reference Cards an the delivery Flight, it is probable that, after the cards had been studied and in view of the fact that the Captain was used ta operating in accordance with the cards, the necessary action would no doubt have been taken to authorise their use for the one flight.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Mweka

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CJE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ndola – Mweka
MSN:
6918
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Ndola to Mweka, the Cogeair (Compagnie Générale Aérienne Africaine) twin engine airplane was taxiing when control was lost for unknown reason. The aircraft came to rest on its nose and was damaged beyond repair. All eight occupants were uninjured. The accident occurred between 04SEP1962 and 31DEC1962, thus the exact date remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Ndola: 16 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1961 at 2213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SE-BDY
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Léopoldville - Ndola
MSN:
43559
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
UNO001
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Captain / Total hours on type:
1350.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2700
Copilot / Total hours on type:
720
Circumstances:
The airplane was conducting a special flight (UNO001) from Léopoldville to Ndola on behalf of the United Nations Organizations, carrying five crew members and a 11 passengers, among them Dag Hammarskjöld, United Nations General Secretary. During the final approach to Ndola by night, the four engine aircraft was too low, struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 15 km short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 16 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
It was strongly urged that the Commission should not conclude that the accident was due to pilot error. Reasons have been given for saying that other suggested causes were not really possible. Reasons have also been given for concluding that the approach was made by a visual descent procedure in which the aircraft was brought too low. It could not be said whether that came about as a result of inattention to the altimeters or misreading of them. The Commission felt it must conclude that the aircraft was allowed, by the pilots, to descend too low. In so doing it struck trees and crashed.
COMMENTS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS:
The Commission has carefully examined all possible causes of the accident. It has considered the possibility of sabotage or of attack and the material or human failures which could have resulted in an accident. It has found no evidence to support any of the particular theories that have been advanced nor has it been able to exclude the possible causes which it has considered. In this connexion it notes that the United Nations and the Swedish Observers who participated in the work of the Rhodesian Board of Investigation also expressed the opinion that it was impossible to exclude any of the possible causes which they considered or to establish an order of priority among them. With respect to sabotage it has noted that the aircraft was without special guard while it was at N'Djili Airport in Léopoldville and access to it was not impossible. The Commission is aware that there are many possible methods of sabotage. No evidence of sabotage has come to its attention but the possibility cannot be excluded. The possibility of attack from either the air or the ground has also been fully examined. The Commission has found no evidence that an attack of any kind occurred It has also noted the opinion of experts that it is improbable that the plane would have been in the apparently normal approach position indicated by the crash path and wreckage analysis had it been under attack. Nevertheless, it cannot exclude attack as a possible cause of the crash. The Commission has also considered various possibilities of material failure, including technical or structural defects, altimeter failure or fire in flight. A thorough analysis of that part of the wreckage capable of being examined was made by technical experts, including members of the Rhodesian Board of Investigation and United Nations and Swedish observers. The altimeters were examined in the United States by the Civil Aeronautics Board and the manufacturer. No evidence of material failure of the aircraft was found, but this possibility cannot be excluded, mainly because of the destruction of a major part of the aircraft by fire. The Commission also considered various possibilities of human failure. It found no evidence that any of the pilots had been incapacitated. It cannot, however, completely exclude this possibility as some forms of incapacity might not be revealed by a post-mortem examination, It also considered various possibilities of pilot error, including the use of a wrong instrument approach chart or a misreading of altimeters. It noted that the Rhodesian inquiry, by eliminating to its satisfaction other possible causes, had reached the conclusion that the probable cause of the crash was pilot error. The Commission, while it cannot exclude this possibility, has found no indication that this was the probable cause of the crash. The Commission considered the possibility that during the course of a visual or semi-visual approach or through the use of an instrument procedure involving a descending turn, the aircraft might have come below the accepted safety margin of 1 000 ft above ground level. On some landing charts, information concerning exact elevations in the approach area is not provided and should the aircraft have descended below the accepted margin a momentary distraction, either from inside or outside the aircraft, might have caused the pilot to lose the remainder of his margin of safety. The Commission however, has found no evidence that this could have been a possible cause of the crash. The Commission considers it its duty to record that it has examined the various rumors that have come to it, attention concerning the cause of the crash and has found no evidence in their support.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Ndola

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VP-YKT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Ndola Airport following a fuel exhaustion. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Choma

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VX498
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Livingstone – Ndola
MSN:
444
YOM:
1950
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Livingstone to Ndola, the crew contacted ground and decided to divert to Choma after an engine failed in flight. After touchdown, the aircraft encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran and hit an embankment. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the aircraft came to rest. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A off Kisumu: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1945 at 0600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
6807
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Blackbushe – Istres – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Juba – Kisumu – Ndola – Pretoria
MSN:
9879
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a delivery flight from Blackbushe, UK, to the airbase of Waterkloof located in Pretoria. Several enroute stops were scheduled in Istres, Rome, Athens, Cairo, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Kisumu and Ndola. Shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed into Lake Victoria. Both crew members were rescued while the passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident may have been caused by katabatic wind that affects the Kisumu region in the early morning.