Desert | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The DC-10 departed N'Djamena Airport at 1313LT bound for Paris-Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Forty-six minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet over Niger, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens and the crew did not send any distress call. It was quickly understood that the aircraft exploded in mid-air and crashed somewhere in the desert. SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found a day later in the Ténéré Desert, about 650 km north of N'Djamena, northeast from the Termit Mountain Range. Debris scattered on 100 km2 and none of the 170 occupants survived the crash.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the aircraft was destroyed by an explosion. The following findings were reported:
- The destruction was due to an explosive charge placed in a container located in position 13R in the forward cargo hold.
- The bomb was formed of pentrite, namely an explosive composed with a powerful and very sensitive crystalline nitric ester.
- The Investigation Commission assert that the most plausible hypothesis is that the explosive charge was inside baggage loaded at Brazzaville Airport.
- Observations made shortly after the accident on Brazzaville Airport made it clear that, at that time, the airport security measures in force were not in accordance with the ICAO standards and recommended practices (Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and Civil Aviation Security Manual (DOC 8973)).

Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600RF near Hargeisa: 30 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1989 at 0930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

6O-SAZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Hargeisa - Mogadishu

MSN:

10559

YOM:

1977

Location:

Hargeisa

Woqooyi Galbeed (وقويي جالبيد‎)

Country:

Somalia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

21126

Aircraft flight cycles:

9842

Circumstances:

Ten minutes after takeoff from Hargeisa Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a desert area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 30 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile shot by rebels of the National Movement of Somalia (NMS).

Crash of a Cessna 340A in Safford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1989 at 2245 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 340

Operator:

Sheldon L. Pollack

Registration:

N8814K

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Fresno – Las Cruces

MSN:

340A-0988

YOM:

1980

Location:

Safford

Arizona

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10000

Circumstances:

During the night cross country flight at FL250, the pilot elected to leave the cockpit area and move to the rear of the aircraft to attend to physiological needs. Although oxygen was available in the cockpit, supplemental oxygen was not available in the rear. The aircraft was operated with a known pressurization system deficiency which limited the airplane to flight to 17,000 feet msl while maintaining a cabin altitude of 10,000 feet. After 2 hours and 10 minutes, atc declared the flight to be 'no radio'. At 3 hours and 57 minutes after departure, the airplane was plotted on radar in a descending left turn to ground impact. Fuel starvation resulted in power loss to the left engine. Propeller signatures indicated power on the right propeller at impact. The pilot's body was found in the aft cabin area on the aft cabin bulkhead.

Probable cause:

The pilot's poor judgement and the resultant hypoxia sustained in the unpressurized airplane. Factors were: the malfunctioning pressurization system and the pilot's decision to continue operation with that known discrepancy.
Occurrence #1: miscellaneous/other
Phase of operation: cruise - normal
Findings
1. (f) air cond/heating/pressurization - failure, partial
2. (f) operation with known deficiencies in equipment - performed - pilot in command
3. (c) judgment - poor - pilot in command
4. (c) physical impairment (anoxia/hypoxia) - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: loss of engine power (partial) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: cruise - normal
Findings
5. 1 engine
6. Fluid, fuel - starvation
----------
Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: descent

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7CF near Bir Moghreïn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-7

Operator:

Registration:

N284

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Dakar - Agadir

MSN:

45203

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Dakar to Agadir, while cruising at the altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile. An engine detached and out of control, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a desert area near Bir Moghreïn. All five occupants were killed. They were on their way to Agadir on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile fired by soldiers of the Front Polisario.

Crash of a Rockwell Gulfstream 695A Jetprop 1000 near San Rafael: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Gulfstream 695A Jetprop 1000

Operator:

Registration:

HK-3390

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

MSN:

695-96047

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Bogotá-Guaymaral Airport on an illegal flight to the US via Mexico, carrying one passenger and two pilots. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft crashed in a desert area located near the village of San Rafael, Coahuila. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. On board was found a load of 780 kilos of cocaine. At the time of the accident, the registration on the aircraft was XC-NCL while its real registration was HK-3390.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune in the White Sands Missile Range: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1987 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Black Hills Aviation

Registration:

N96271

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

MSN:

426-5315

YOM:

1954

Location:

White Sands Missile Range

New Mexico

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At approximately 3:00 p.m. on September 10, 1987, the Army called Black Hills Aviation to suppress a fire started by a FAADS missile. The missile was fired more than two hours before the crash. A P2V aircraft, Forest Service Number N96271 ["Tanker 07"], owned by Black Hills, was dispatched in response to the request for aerial fire suppression. Tanker 07 was piloted by Nathan Kolb and co-piloted by Woodard Miller, employees of Black Hills Aviation who were not Department of Defense personnel. Tanker 07 obtained authorization to enter the missile range's airspace from the missile range air controller. During the flight, Tanker 07 crashed on the missile range and both pilots were killed. The crash site was located approximately fifteen miles into the interior of the missile range, and was inside the testing site for the FAADS Project.

Probable cause:

Following the crash, an attorney from the Army Judge Advocate General's [JAG] Office at the missile range ordered markers to be placed at the crash site, and aerial photographs were taken. At that time, the Army JAG Officer anticipated litigation regarding the crash. Personnel at the missile range contacted the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] and the Army Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, and inquired whether either of these entities wished to investigate the crash. The NTSB replied that it was not interested in investigating, but would do so if specifically requested to do so by the missile range. Neither entity actually investigated the crash. Colonel Gary Epperson of the missile range was appointed to conduct an Army Regulation 15-6 Collateral Investigation into the facts and circumstances of the crash. The scope of the AR 15-6 investigation encompassed only the activities of the Army in regard to the crash of Tanker 07, and did not seek to determine the precise cause of the crash. Colonel Epperson's investigation consisted of viewing the crash scene, meeting with eyewitnesses to the crash, and asking for written statements.

Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-16K-11 in Shalamcheh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-16

Operator:

Registration:

5018

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over Iran at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the heavy bomber was shot down by a 'Hawk' missile, dove into the ground and crashed near Shalamcheh. A crew member survived while five others were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an Iranian missile.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 520 in Lucerne Valley

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1986 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 520

Operator:

Jack R. Matison

Registration:

N70FM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Corona - Corona

MSN:

520-147

YOM:

1954

Location:

Lucerne Valley

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

700

Captain / Total hours on type:

200.00

Circumstances:

During a pleasure flight, the pilot reported that the right engine caught on fire. The pilot made a landing on dry lake bed and disembarked from the plane examination of the wreckage revealed that the path of the landing roll showed no signs of melted metal or debris. There was a large fuel stain visible around the remains of the right wing, right engine and right cowling. The engine components and accessories showed moderate heat distress with no evidence of a blow torch effect. The right wing fuel sump drain valve was located inside a cup of melted aliminum and was in the open position.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: fire
Phase of operation: standing
Findings
1. (f) fuel system, drain - open
2. (c) reason for occurrence undetermined

Final Report: