Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 17 March 2004
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Owner/operator: Regional Air Services
Registration Number: 5H-MUA
Location: near Mto wa Mbu – ÿ Tanzania
Phase of Flight: Initial climb
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9
Component Affected: Aircraft EngineAircraft Engine
Category: Accident
A Grand Caravan aircraft experienced a sudden engine failure during a scheduled flight from Arusha to Lake Manyara, Klein’s Camp, Grumet, and Seronera (SEU) before returning to Arusha. The flight was uneventful, culminating in a forced landing on a road due to airspeed loss and subsequent collisions with stones.A Grand Caravan aircraft experienced a sudden engine failure during a scheduled flight from Arusha to Lake Manyara, Klein’s Camp, Grumet, and Seronera (SEU) before returning to Arusha. The flight was uneventful, culminating in a forced landing on a road due to airspeed loss and subsequent collisions with stones.

Description

The Grand Caravan aircraft was operating a scheduled flight starting from its base at Arusha (ARK). It was to call at Lake Manyara, Klein’s Camp, Grumet and Seronera (SEU) before returning to Arusha via Lake Manyara. The VFR flight to Lake Manyara was uneventful and the aircraft landed at Lake Manyara at 05:55 hours. Five passengers boarded the flight, which departed at 06:15. Shortly after becoming airborne the engine failed. The pilot feathered the propeller and prepared for a forced landing on a road. He then had to make an evasive manoeuvre to avoid a lorry. The airplane lost airspeed, dropped heavily on the left side of the road and collided with heaps of stones before it came to rest some 50 meters beyond the point of initial touch down. Five passengers were seriously injured.

Primary Cause

Engine failureEngine failure

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