Ex-Zambian President's plane in Emergency Landing...

[pilotezulu]

Read the Times of Zambia this morning about the former prez's plane returning 45 mins after take-off from Lusaka. Apparently "thick smoke was noticed billowing from one of the engines". I understand he was given permission to go to South Africa to undergo some specialist medical tests.

Wonder what went wrong and what a/c type they were using?

Anyone have some more info on this? Can't find anything that's been posted anywhere regarding this incident yet.

[Carrier]

It was a C421 owned by Avocet and being flown by the company owner along with another pilot. One engine suffered a major mechanical disaster. Apparently the aircraft was approaching Lake Kariba at cruise height when it happened. The crew merely turned around and landed safely back at Lusaka. It once again illustrates the value of using twin-engined aircraft over difficult terrain.
If they had been in a single-engined aircraft there might well have been a different ending. Assuming they were routing via RETAR they were probably over the hostile terrain to the north of the Zambezi and 30 miles from either Kariba airfield or a Zambian airfield along the line of rail to the northwest. They would not have reached either in a failed single regardless of whether it was piston or turbo-prop. The terrain below would not offer much help, unless there is a private strip that is not shown on the charts and that they would have to have known of.
The presence of the second engine rendered this a non-event (except to the owner’s pocket!) that would not have made the media except for the identity of the passenger. It was a good decision to return to Lusaka. The medevac passenger was taken to the nearest airport where he could be put on another plane without unnecessary delay and as a bonus the aircraft was returned to its home base where it could be securely stored and worked on in due course. Good decision-making and good flying. Well done!

[pilotezulu]

thanks Carrier. sounds interesting. it was definitely a good decision by the crew to turn around.

Now in such a situation, is it not advisable to get to the closest major airfield, say Livingstone? Just curious, coz I don't know how it works.

[Baron Von Mildred]

Could be, but if any fire is extinguished, you might want to consider the hassle involved getting it fixed if you land somewhere with no maintenance.

[Coleman Myers]

There is maintenance in LUN ?. Please can I have the details ?. Good effort of the crew to get Chiluba and themselves safely back to LUN, although I would have gone to Kariba (got stamped at Siavonga) and then had a few coldies on a house boat until the machine could be fixed ...

Why did'nt they use that King Air with the stupid tail markings - is'nt that a medivac machine ?.

[NdekePilot]

PilotZulu,
If the aircraft was approaching Kariba, the nearest suitable airport with the possible exception of Kariba itself would be Lusaka. Livingstone is nowhere near Kariba.
If the aircraft and the client are based in Lusaka and the aircraft is flying well, which I believe it was, then I would think Lusaka would be the best option for a diversion. You are back to square one and on home ground for organising another aircraft, and as for the maintenance, well, the engine will have to come off anyway so it makes no real difference which airport it is at.
Just my teeny weeny little opinion of course!!
Cheers,
NP.:cool:

[Baron Von Mildred]

There is maintenance, although fairly basic stuff at LUN. You could be at Kariba a long time if parts have to ordered!!! i'm sure Mr Avocet has better things to do than a week of cold beers.