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Crash of a Cessna 425 Conquest in Windhoek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 2016 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5-MJW
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Windhoek - Windhoek
MSN:
425-0077
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
11686
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3765
Copilot / Total hours on type:
256
Aircraft flight hours:
10108
Circumstances:
On 29 January 2016, at 08:10 a Cessna 425 Conquest, which was privately operated, crashed approx. 300 meters NNE of threshold Runway 26. 1.1.2 According to the flight plan filled on the 28th January 2016, the flight was scheduled for a renewal of CPL and IR ratings for the two pilots by a Designated Examiner (DE). Departure time was scheduled at 07:45 at a cruising altitude of FL100 for Hosea Kutako Airport. The pilots requested a procedure for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach. The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) cleared them for the procedure for runway 26 ILS approach with QNH 1024. They were also asked to report when at nine miles-inbound. At around nine miles they reported their location and were instructed to continue the approach along the glide slope. The DE requested a VOR approach for their next approach and an early right hand turnout that was approved by ATC who also required them to report when going around. The ATC stated that he saw them at around 4nm on final approach. He then stated that he looked away for a moment after which he heard a slight bang, then saw a ball of flames at about 300 meters north of threshold runway 26. He called out to the aircraft three times whilst looking out for it when he finally concluded that it could have been V5-MJW that had crashed. The ATC pressed a crash alarm after a moment when it did not go off, the controller then called the fire station and alerted them of the occurrence. The Airport’s Fire and Rescue team after receiving the initial notification from the ATC took around 10 minutes to reach the site, by that time fire had engulfed the plane and its occupants. The team took 3-4 minutes to extinguish the fire. The weather was reported as fine with winds about 140° at 08 kts with scattered clouds at 4000ft and unrestricted visibility.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled at low altitude and consequently impacted the ground.
Contributory Factors:
- Loss of control of the aircraft,
- Non-adherence of go-around procedures as set on the AIP,
- Normalization of deviation -where non-standard go-around procedures are executed.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Omega

Date & Time: Nov 30, 2013
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
NAF-3-642
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Windhoek - Omega AFB
MSN:
144 01
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Windhoek on a special flight to the disused Airfield of Omega (ex airbase), carrying six crew members and various equipment in order to collect the bodies of all 33 people who have been killed in the crash of the LAM Embraer ERJ-190AR C9-EMC that occurred in the Bwabwata National Park the previous day. The aircraft landed too far down the airstrip that was overgrown by grass and bushes. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and collided with trees, causing severe damages to the wings (the right wing was partially torn off). All six occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Hulk still in situ in FEB2014 and may be disassembled and trucked back to Windhoek.
Probable cause:
Wrong landing configuration. Disused airport and runway in poor condition.

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 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Windhoek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 2009 at 0658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-OTU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Windhoek – Ondjiva – Lubango – Luanda
MSN:
208B-0513
YOM:
1996
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
671
Captain / Total hours on type:
206.00
Aircraft flight hours:
12469
Circumstances:
On 15 November 2009, at about 0458Z, and aircraft a Cessna Caravan 208B, with a pilot and three passengers on board, took off from Eros Airport for a flight to Ondjiva, Lubango and Luanda. On board the aircraft were a substantial amount of cargo, which included building materials, meat, paints, bottles of wine etc. which was placed between and on top of the seats as well as in the cargo-pod. The cargo inside the cabin area was not secured. Shortly after takeoff from runway 19, the aircraft turned to the right and then pitched nose up. According to the passenger who survived, the aircraft entered into a left spin shortly after the nose pitched up and second later impacted with terrain, coming to rest facing the direction it took off from. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured during the accident. One of the passengers survived the accident and was admitted to a local hospital with s spinal injury. The pilot-in-command was a holder of a commercial pilot licence. His medical certificate was valid with restrictions (to wear corrective lenses). Fine weather was reported during the time of the accident with surface wind of 180° at 8 knots.
Probable cause:
The investigations revealed that during this operation the aircraft's take-off weight was exceeded by 629 pounds. The aircraft failed to maintain flying speed and stalled shortly after takeoff, rendering ground impact inevitable.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- This was the pilot's first flight from Eros Airport therefore being unfamiliar with the airport and the environmental phenomena's associated with it (especially taking off from runway 19),
- The pilot made one fundamental error in his weight calculation that he used the incorrect aircraft empty weight,
- The cargo that was in the cabin was packed between and underneath and on top of the seats and was not secured,
- The aircraft took off from runway 19, which was an upslope runway,
- Taking off from runway 19 the terrain kept rising with mountains straight ahead as well as to the left and right,
- The pilot retracted the flaps shortly after rotation, which resulted in an attitude change and performance (aircraft lost altitude), which should be regarded as a significant contributory factor to this accident,
- The pilot was observed to turn to the right shortly after takeoff, which increased the drag on the aircraft as well as the stall speed,
- Harsh anti-erosion rubber paint that was sprayed onto the leading edge of the wings resulted in an increased stall speed,
- Inadequate oversight by the regulatory authority should be regarded as a significant contributory factor to this accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near Rooisand: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 2003 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5-CAS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rooisand - Windhoek
MSN:
208B-0549
YOM:
1996
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Chartered by International SOS, the single engine aircraft was dispatched to the Rooisand Desert Ranch Aerodrome with a medical team to pick up a patient who suffered a car accident. The aircraft landed at Rooisand Airstrip about 15 minutes before sunset. Due to the night and because the airfield was not equipped with any light systems, the pilot asked people to park their cars along the runway with their lights on. After take off, the aircraft continued westbound with a 12 knots tailwind and was supposed to circle the runway two or three times to gain sufficient height to avoid the hills surrounding the area. Then the aircraft turned right towards a hill that was 258 metres higher than the end of the runway. The aircraft had flown about 4,8 km far towards that hill when it banked steeply to the left and headed back to the southeast. The aircraft then descended to a height of 191 metres until it struck the slope of a hill. The wreckage was found 17 metres below the hill's top and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The decision of the pilot to take off from an airfield that was not suitable for night operations,
- The absence of a copilot considerably increased the workload of the captain, assuming that the copilot could have assisted him in the reconnaissance of the terrain, the preparation of the flight, the assistance to the patient and the medical team,
- Lack of visibility due to the night and lack of visual reference points on the ground, especially since the pilot had to wear corrective glasses,
- The pilot could not clearly distinguish the various parameters displayed on his instrument's panel because he forgot his glasses.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan II near Omarumba: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1994 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FCGG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While flying at a height of about 380 feet, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Omarumba. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A in Namibia

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
V5-WAC
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44668
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident while landing in an airfield somewhere in Namibia. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The mishap occurred somewhere in July 1994 (exact date unknown).

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near Aminuis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1993
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-NEP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Windhoek - Johannesburg
MSN:
BB-838
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 29,000 feet on a flight from Windhoek to Johannesburg, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near Aminuis. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the loss of control could not be established.

Ground fire of a Fairchild F27 at Omega AFB

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-LPI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Omega AFB - Omega AFB
MSN:
58
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Omega AFB, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reasons. The crew was able to stop the airplane and to evacuate before it would be totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Ground fire of unknown origin.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Namibia: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1980
Operator:
Registration:
6851
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
27645/15300
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Namibia, killing all three crew members.