Country
code

Tombouctou

Crash of an MD-83 near Gossi: 116 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 2014 at 0147 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-LTV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ouagadougou - Algiers
MSN:
53190/2148
YOM:
1996
Flight number:
AH5017
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
110
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
116
Captain / Total flying hours:
12988
Captain / Total hours on type:
10007.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7016
Copilot / Total hours on type:
6180
Aircraft flight hours:
38362
Aircraft flight cycles:
32390
Circumstances:
The Swiftair MD-83 was performing flight AH5017 on behalf of Air Algérie (this regular schedule is performed four times a week). The aircraft left Ouagadougou at 0117Z and was attempting to land in Algiers at 0510LT but failed to arrive. 116 people (110 passengers and a crew of 6) were on board. The last position of the MD-83 was west of Gao, Mali. In the evening of July 24 (some 16 hours after the aircraft disappearance), the wreckage was eventually located and spotted some 50 km west of the city of Gossi, south Mali. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and no survivors was found among the 116 occupants. At the time of the accident, bad weather conditions with storm activity, winds, turbulence and icing was confirmed over the region of Gao, until an altitude of 40,000 feet. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was flying west of this marginal weather area and referring to the French BEA graphic, the aircraft did not properly get around this turbulent area. It was confirmed the aircraft started a left turn from the altitude of 31,000 feet and then spiraled to the ground in less than three minutes (140° bank left and 80° nose down until impact). The last position recorded by the FDR at 0147LT and 15 seconds was at the altitude of 1,600 feet (490 meters) and at a speed of 380 KIAS (740 km/h) with a very high rate of descent.
Probable cause:
About two minutes after leveling off at an altitude of 31,000 ft, calculations performed by the manufacturer and validated by the investigation team indicate that the recorded EPR, the main parameter for engine power management, became erroneous on the right engine and then about 55 seconds later on the left engine. This was likely due to icing of the pressure sensors located on the engine nose cones. If the engine anti-ice protection system is activated, these pressure sensors are heated by hot air. Analysis of the available data indicates that the crew likely did not activate the system during climb and cruise. As a result of the icing of the pressure sensors, the erroneous information transmitted to the auto throttle meant that the latter limited the thrust delivered by the engines. Under these conditions, the thrust was insufficient to maintain cruise speed and the aeroplane slowed down. The autopilot then commanded an increase in the airplane's pitch attitude in order to maintain the altitude in spite of this loss of speed. This explains how, from the beginning of the error in measuring the EPR values, the airplane’s speed dropped from 290 kt to 200 kt in about 5 minutes and 35 seconds and the angle of attack increased until the aeroplane stalled. About 20 seconds after the beginning of the aeroplane stall, the autopilot was disengaged. The aeroplane rolled suddenly to the left until it reached a bank angle of 140°, and a nose-down pitch of 80°. The recorded parameters indicate that there were no stall recovery maneuvers by the crew. However, in the moments following the aeroplane stall, the flight control surfaces remained deflected nose-up and in a right roll. It was concluded that the accident was caused by the combination of several factors, among them the fact that the engine anti-icing systems were not activated by the crew. The final report is not available in English yet.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Tombouctou: 51 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TZ-ACT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gao – Tombouctou – Mopti – Bamako
MSN:
87304104
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
51
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Tombouctou Airport, while climbing, one of the engine failed. The pilot-in-command elected to return for an emergency landing and initiated a turn when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 3 km from the airport, bursting into flames. A passenger was seriously injured while 51 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK near Tombouctou

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1973
Registration:
N481F
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26461/15016
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A loss of engine power en route forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames north of Tombouctou. All six occupants escaped and only one passenger was slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Owned by Ray Geophysical, the airplane was engaged in a on-demand mission on behalf of Texaco. The exact date of the accident remains unknown, somewhere in 1973.
Probable cause:
Engine power loss in flight.