Tourist dies in Tanzan prang

[4HolerPoler]

Sad news -

A Finnish tourist was killed and 10 others injured when a light aircraft they were travelling in crashed while landing at an airstrip in southern Tanzania, officials said on Sunday. Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe said the charter plane, whose passengers included British tourists, had crashed into trees as it landed at the airstrip in Selous Game Reserve late on Friday. The pilot and the facility's manager had escaped with minor injuries. Inspectors of the Civil Aviation Authority had been sent to the scene to probe the cause of the crash.

[alexmcfire]

A Finnish lady dead and 10 other Finnish and UK citizens injured.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

Aircraft was a PA-31 Navajo. Crash occured at Matambwe airstrip. From what we have heard here the pilot initiated a go around on an aborted landing. Struck a large palm tree about 200 meters beyond the runway. The aircraft was spun 180 degrees and caught fire. The largest part remaining is the tail section.

Heard there were only ten total on board. Though two or three of the occupants were children sitting on the laps of other passengers since the Navajo has only seven passenger seats. From what I hear the manager suffered several broken ribs.

Matambwe airstrip can be a tricky place, it's a steep up slope, meaning you can only really land on 28 and usually there is a tail wind on landing. Runway length is 800 meters and due to recent rains the runway has become rather rough.

[dr27]

DreDreadful accident. Reminds me of an accident many years ago in Zim when a number of Doctors were killed also in a PA31 that crashed and burned.

Registration marks?

[Coleman Myers]

Sad, aparently reliable old birds if sometimes a bit reluctant on one ... dr27 - if you have time, when was the accident in Zimbabwe and was it SA or Zim registered ?. Were circumstances similar ?.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Accident at FAGM a few years back was also a Navajo with ten on board plus luggage IIRC.

[Istorik]

http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/observer/2007/01/07/81822.html

[dr27]

Quote :Sad, aparently reliable old birds if sometimes a bit reluctant on one ... dr27 - if you have time, when was the accident in Zimbabwe and was it SA or Zim registered ?. Were circumstances similar ?.

Early 80's. in Zim with a Zim registered aircraft. Lost an engien on t/off

Crash a few years ago at FAGM was a Chieftain (I know also a PA31 but...)and allegations at the time were that it was grossly over loaded.

[I.R.PIRATE]

wonder how long it will be before RiccardoVoolante is on here crying about the Tanzanean operators again.....Come on Rico, lets hear it.

[JetPark]

dr27, you are correct. That PA31 was substantially overweight and there were maintenance irregularities as well. If I recall, the Operator had its AOC pulled by CAA.

Flew a PA31 quite often about 100 years ago, not a happy puppy on one engine even within weight & balance.:eek:

[White Knight]

Chieftan crashed in Zim, Middle Sabi area in about '93... Lost an engine just as it was getting airborne - killed 10 including the pilot who was a friend of mine. Piston twins can be slippery beasts on one...

[126,7]

PA31 was enroute from Eros to Lanseria many years ago when he lost a motor about 50nm SE of WHV. Couldn't maintain FL110 and was heading back to Eros. Saw that he wasn't going to make it so decided to rather head for Windhoek Intl instead which was much closer. Eventually force landed about 10nm out. All the pax and the pilot made it out of the aircraft with their luggage and had beers while they watched the aircraft burn out. Lucky escape or good force landing? Need to add: VMC by day.

[dr27]

Eros one reminds me of another PA31-350 Also Eros to FAGM deviated to Smuts/JHB I'nal?OTB? ???? crashed short of alternative

[Sir Osis of the river]

126,7

In a previous life I used to fly the particular pa31 you mention. (Eros to LAV)

It had a reputation for underperforming on one and was a dog. During my conversion, done by the late Basie VD bent, we could not maintain height with a simulated engine out! Fortunately when I had a genuine engine failure in it, I was ferrying, so it was a relatively simple matter of feathering and landing. I was near TOD, so just continued to destination.

By the time it went in in Windhoek, it had a new paint scheme and interior. Looked good, but was still the same heap of garbage. Good riddance I say

[I.R.PIRATE]

Lost a donk on the way from FALA to Maun one early morning a few years ago. 110nm out I did a precautionary shut down, and boy lemme tell you, if FBMN was another 3nm further when it happened we would have been short. To add so fuel to the fire, when selecting gear down on crossing the fence (those are large wheels that will spoil your plan if you put them down too early), I only got 2 greens, the main on the side of the failed engine had failed to lock. Decided to cut my losses and land it like that: rather make a sparky spectacle on the runway, than a flaming (single engine go-around) hole a few meters along the side of the runway. Luckily when setting her down (amazing just how "light" you can make yourself in the pilot's seat) the gear held and all was fine.

[Sir Osis of the river]

IRP,
Mine was also into Maun, but the gear worked fine. Once the "engineers" had rectified the problem, I went on my merry way.

Wrong, Same problem at 300 feet. Dragged it round again on one and called it a day. ATC were understanderbly reluctant to let me try again anyway. Charter queen not happy, but sent another a/c.

Thankfully that was the last time I had to fly that particular beast.

The lesson: Watch your weight and balance! These light twins are very unforgiving on one.

[madherb]

Why are we as an industry continuing to kill people in this type of situation - old technology twin piston, generally at MAUW (or beyond) when superior equipment is available?

Pressure from the operator is one factor. Bottom line stuff - buy an old piston aircraft for peanuts (compared to a Van, PC12, B200), fill it to the brim with fare-paying pax, put a relatively inexperienced (therefore cheap) pilot in the seat, and voila! Instant money. Maintenance? Ha! Ask around in the local pilots' watering holes about that joke...........

Africa is an unforgiving environment. Short strips, hot and high, long distances, minimal support. If you survive, you learn big time.

My two cents worth - young pilots should avoid these situations if possible. Find an operator who is prepared to fly decent equipment, and RESIST ALL PRESSURE TO FLY OVERLOADED.

Easier said than done.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Find an operator who is prepared to fly decent equipment, and RESIST ALL PRESSURE TO FLY OVERLOADED.

And there's the rub. If you won't do it, rest assured there's a queue of folks behind you who will. The dodgy operators rely on the desperation of the uninformed who consider themselves bulletproof and there's no shortage of those around.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

Second passenger died on Sunday due to injuries sustained.

[Deskjocky]

Flew a PA31 quite often about 100 years ago, not a happy puppy on one engine even within weight & balance.:eek:

JP, it wasnt with Magnum Airlines perhaps?