Cabo Delgado | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

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 Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Mueda

Date & Time: May 6, 1974 at 1358 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

6175

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Nangade - Nampula

MSN:

19393

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Nangade to Nampula, the airplane was hit by a SAM-7 missile (Strella) that struck the right engine. The crew decided to divert to Mueda but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing on the short training runway of Nacatári-Chapa. After landing, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance (too short runway), overran and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Rockwell 500S Shrike Commander in Mueda: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Shrike Commander 500

Operator:

Registration:

CR-AOC

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Porto Amélia - Mueda

MSN:

500-3136

YOM:

1972

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Mueda Airstrip by night, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. He was completing a ferry flight from Porto Amélia and the aircraft was operated by Empresa de Transportes Aéreos de Porto Amélia (ETAPA).

Crash of a Nord 2502F Noratlas in Mueda: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1973 at 1830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Operator:

Registration:

6411

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Porto Amélia - Mueda

MSN:

F.5

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Mueda Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds and limited visibility. The pilot-in-command descended too low on final when the airplane struck the ground and crashed short of runway 16 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed, among them two civilians and two officers.

Probable cause:

Too low approach in marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Mueda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

6167

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tete - Mueda

MSN:

13018

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Mueda, the airplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in flames few km short of runway. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.