Kenya Airways B737 Crash - Douala 5 May 2007

[global718]

Just picked up from Sky News KQ 738 out of Daoula lost contact after take off. Any info anybody.

[Maks]

Kenyan TV reports that KQ flight 507 lost contact with Douala control over Congo. Approx 120 pax onboard. Equipment was KQ's brand new 738. AC was expected in Nairobi four hours ago. It's now 10.00hrs (GMT +3).

Plane is most likely crashed.

[global718]

Does seem like a crash. BBC reporting contact was lost some where over the Congo jungle. 106 pax and 9 crew. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[harriewillem]

115 people on board....

106 PAX
009 Crew

Lets hope they locate the aircraft verry soon, and a good research will start...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6627485.stm

[putt for dough]

Very sad indeed!
Any Solenta crew onboard or is it SAA all of the time now?

[Gouabafla]

Apparently the flight originated in Abidjan before flying on to Douala. This brings back some very sad memories. Thoughts are with all onboard.

[5Y-NOT]

Getting conflicting reports that it lost contact on climb out, OR it lost contact east of yaounde, v different scenarios. Also news that a CHC twotter is searching at the moment. Anybody got anything??

[philby737]

A Kenyan Airways aircraft was forced to return to Nairobi, en-route to Johannesburg , on 30 April 2007. Is it the same aircraft!

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

There is another thread on Rumours and News about KQ.

[Jlo]

Found on google-news, published about 20 min ago:

A Kenya Airways airliner with 115 people on board that disappeared after taking off from Douala airport in Cameroon has crashed, an aviation official said today.

"The plane has crashed," said the official with the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority, asking not to be named.

A top government official said: "We have located the plane ... and we cannot talk about it."

The plane, a Boeing 737-800 carrying 106 passengers, eight crew members and a flight engineer, was due to land in Nairobi on Saturday at 6.15am (1315 AEST).

Most of the passengers were connecting through Nairobi to other destinations outside Kenya.

A crisis centre has been set up at the company headquarters at Nairobi airport.

A different report:
YAOUNDE, May 5 (Reuters) - A Kenya Airways plane reported missing on Saturday has crashed in southern Cameroon, the central African country's state radio said.

The radio said the plane had crashed near a location called Niete, south of the Cameroonian port town of Kribi and north of the border with Equatorial Guinea. It gave no further details.

Kenya Airways earlier said it had lost contact with a 737-800 airliner bound for Nairobi with 115 people aboard, shortly after it took off from Douala in Cameroon.
I hope they find some survivors:{

[5Y-NOT]

sky news reporting it found near niete, well south of douala.

[Maks]

News coming in reports that the Crash Indicator Signal has been detected. Cameroun State Radio confirms KQ 507 has indeed crashed.

[global718]

Close source confirms plane has crashed south of Douala. Crisis Management Centre has been setup in Douala. Emergency Teams have been activated. A sad day indeed.

I know a lot of their crew mostly South African trained.

[Rani]

Rumors already milling that the a/c was highjacked as soon as it was airborne?? Please do not quote me the info is still very very fresh...

May God have mercy on the souls on board.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Normal flight path from Douala to Nairobi should have taken them over Yaoundé. Somebody reported that the crash site is south of Kribi, quite off-track…

[rigs]

KQ 507, a boeing 737-800 was six months old,the first 800 series to be purchased by KQ, quite odd to me for a plane this young to have malfunctioned.what do you guys think? what could be the cause of such a crash??:ouch:

[global718]

Check the thread on rumours and news lists all the nationalities on board.

[putt for dough]

thats almost like: how long is a piece of string?
could be anything. lets not speculate and wait for cold hard facts!

[JEP]

Has the registration been revealed yet ?

[Kenuck]

Reg was 5Y-KYA. Looks like it did go down. Cameroonian authorities out there with a helicopter...

[alexmcfire]

Estimated location of the crash http://www.tageo.com/index-e-cm-v-00-d-m4452786.htm

[With Flash...]

Few with KQ lots, very sad.


Thoughts go out to all on board their families and friends.:(

[alexmcfire]

This British citizen is rumored to be onboard http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4638956.stm

[Lex44]

115 people on board. Crash not confirmed but seems they lost contact 13 minutes after takeoff and the cameroonian authorities claim they received a distress signal. Hope all is well

[Airman56]

Why a/c was going to the south, but not via UA610 to Nairobi?

[Raydon]

7 South Africans according to BBC.

[alexmcfire]

More here, http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=274678&page=2
7 SA citizen onboard and 6 with no clear citizenship..:confused:

[Contract Dog]

114 missing after Kenyan plane crashes


Five Britons feared dead as brand-new aircraft comes down in forests of south Cameroon

Xan Rice in Nairobi
Sunday May 6, 2007The Observer (http://www.observer.co.uk/)

A Kenya Airways plane with 114 people on board, including five Britons, is thought to have crashed in dense forests of southern Cameroon.

The almost brand new Boeing 737-800 was reported missing shortly after taking off in poor weather late on Friday from Douala, the largest city in Cameroon, en route to Nairobi. Kenya Airways officials said yesterday that a distress signal had been picked up, but that wreckage had not been found. People living in several of the villages dotted through the forests of the sparsely populated area have reported hearing a loud boom.
Article continues (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2073623,00.html#article_continue)http://uk.f279.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f794175%5fAD62ktkAAHzcRj1zvQVrFySEUJk&pid=2&fid=Inbox&inline=1






Earlier the airline confirmed that five Britons were among the passengers, who also included nationals of 22 countries. The Foreign Office would not confirm the missing Britons' identities and said there was confusion over passport numbers which might not have been properly recorded in Cameroon. But the Associated Press has said that its correspondent, Anthony Mitchell, a former Daily Express reporter now working for the news agency, was aboard.

Mitchell, originally from London, was flying home from an assignment in the Central African Republic to Nairobi, where he lives with his English wife Catherine, and their young son and baby daughter. He called his family shortly before boarding the flight to say it had been delayed by an hour due to a rainstorm. Chris Tomlinson, Nairobi bureau chief for Associated Press, said: 'We are hoping against hope that Anthony is OK.'
African airlines have a notoriously poor safety record, but Kenya Airways was regarded as one of the best on the continent. Partly owned by Air France-KLM, it has excellent links across Africa and is regarded as pretty safe. The airline's last major accident was in 2000, when 169 passengers died after one of its planes crashed after take-off in Abidjan, Ivory Coast - the same airport from which flight KQ507 took off on Friday, before stopping in Cameroon. Take off in Douala was delayed for an hour.
David Learmount, operations and safety editor at Flight International magazine, said the most likely cause of the crash was bad weather and the 'most puzzling thing' was why the weather radar warning system on board was not used to avoid a tropical storm.
Engineering failure is considered less likely because the aircraft was new and from cruising altitude the plane had a chance of gliding to land, and there is no evidence of another aircraft missing, which would point to a mid-air collision. Kenya Airways is also not considered a high-risk terrorism target, said Learmount. 'If I was putting money on this I'd say weather caused it because everything else is so unlikely. The next question would be why?'
At a news conference in Nairobi, Titus Naikuni, group managing director of Kenya Airways, said: 'The last message was received in Douala after take-off and thereafter the tower was unable to contact the plane.' He said that the plane was just six months old and low-flying spotter aircraft were searching a densely forested area 62 miles south-west of Yaounde, Cameroon's capital.
Kenyan Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere said the US was assisting in the search by providing satellite images of the flight path. He said it was too early to determine the cause of the accident.
Friends and colleagues of Mitchell in Nairobi and in the UK were preparing for the worst last night. Prior to working in Nairobi, he had worked in Ethiopia. He moved to Kenya after being expelled by the Ethiopian government for what it considered unfavourable reporting. In Kenya he soon earned a reputation as a sharp reporter. He and his wife were apparently planning to return to England in the near future. Greg Swift, deputy news editor of the Express, said: 'He is a really old-fashioned journalist who can pin down a story with intelligence and determination.'



Lets hope the FACTS come out soon, sounds unlikely that a 73 would go down due wx, Have flown with many Kenyan crew and they are dam good at what they do and and have cut their teeth in the middle of the ITCZ, am sure the crew was well aware of the wx and how to use a wx radar!

Dog

[alexmcfire]

Complete list of the missing persons found here http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143968249

[Fat Reggie]

Looks like the FAA has issued 12 AD's on the 737-800 since June last year. One superceeding emergency AD, (flight control, spoilers). One oxygen generator AD also. Does KQ comply with FAA AD's or do they blow them off under KCAA like many smaller civil aviation authorities?

[global718]

Full list of Passengers on Flight KQ 507


FROM DOUALA
1
BERNARDNYUY KITATAH MR
2
TIFUH MARY MRS
3
TCHOULA DANIEL MR
4
ABBO MOHAMAN MR
5
NGUEGNE EPSE KUATE THERESE MRS
6
NOSOLO SOLOMONDESIRE MR
7
AMBE/JULIUS NEBA MR
8
NOHO GILBERT MR
9
KAZE DAVID MR
10
MANFOUO SAMUEL MR
11
NKENGUE ALBERT MR
12
THEYEM TAKALA D MR
13
YOUMBI JEAN MICHEL MR
14
LEUNJEU VIGELLORE MME
15
EKANDJEMOUSSINGA NELSON MR
16
KOMETA FUAJAH LOUIS MR
17
KENGNE MODEST MR
18
MAFUO EUCHARIA MRS
19
TSIGUIA JEAN LOUIS MR
20
ELVIS NGULEFAC NGOASON MR
21
ENAM ESSOMBO JOSEPH PATRICE MR
22
LIALE TCHOUDENOU ANGELE MRS
23
BOUNGANI PATRICE ME
24
EFFA ENGELBERT MR
25
OMGBA ZUNG MR
26
NANA TCHAPDA MICHELINE MRS
27
FRU ANECORNILIUS MR
28
AICHA HAMANI PIWELE OUSMANOU MRS
29
NOWOKAP ROGER WILLIAM
30
NJAMFA PATRICK MR
31
POLA HERVE MR
32
NGAHESSAMA MARIE VERONIQUE MRS
33
MENGWETUH EPSENGANDOL MRS
34
TEDJOU KENGNE GUY
35
MADHUSAUDAN POOJITHA MS
36
MADHUSUDAN BHAGYA MRS
37
MADHUSUDAN MR
38
KEVIN JOSEPH JUDE MR
39
NIGLI SHIRLY MRS
40
KOCHERRY GEORGE JOSEPH MR
41
MANUEL GRACEY MME
42
MARIA JOSEPH MRS
43
GAUR AMAN MR
44
GIREESAN NALAKATH MR
45
CHAUHAN AMOL MR
46
MITCHELL ANTHONY MR
47
STEWART ADAM MR
48
STEWART SARAH MRS
49
CLAISSE STUART MR
50
WRIGHT GORDON MR
51
GROSSETT MICHAEL MR
52
VANDERWESTHUIZEN CONRAD MR
53
UTTON CAMPBELL MR
54
VANDERWESTHUIZEN CORNELIUS MR
55
BARNARD DANNY MR
56
EBERE UGOEZE EMMANUEL MR
57
UGOCHUKWU JOEL UDEH MR
58
ONUORAH CHUKWUDI JUDE MR
59
AMAECHI/NZEAUGUSTINEMR
60
ABAM/UBIREV
61
ASIEGBU C MR
62
ANGO NAYOUSSA MR
63
IDRISSA OUSMANE MR
64
SAMAILA ABDOULAYE MR
65
AKONO MONSUY/JOSE MANUEL MR
66
BUEPOYO BOSEKA MARIA DEL PILAR MRS
67
DANTHIA ERIC
68
DOFARA DAVID DR
69
FATOUMA ALIIBRAHIM MRS
70
SHAMINE MOUSTAPHASAGOUNF CHD
71
MUPENDA MALOBA
72
BOLA MALANDA THEO
73
WUCHANG GEN MR
74
LIU SHENG MR
75
KANDA GERARD MR
76
SELBY EVEREST MR
77
SHAH MEERA MRS
78
JANUARY CHARLES MR
79
ANDERSSON CLAES MR
80
WEDER HANS MR
81
SYLLA DIABEL MR
82
AGBEVIADE ANNA MS
83
NGONCHEMFONZIE IBRAHIM MR
84
OMGBA MARCEL MARIE
85
OUANDJI PIERRE CHRISTIAN MR
86
RUBY PAUL MS
87
SUNDARARAMAN PRAKASH MR
88
HAROUWA HALIDOU MR



FROM ABIDJAN
89
GNAMIEN AKAJEAN MR
90
SERY CYRIAQ
91
ETIEN KADJO MR
92
KONE ALASSANE MR
93
YAO NGORAN AMENAN MRS
94
SYLLA MARIAM
95
SHI WEISHA MRS
96
JIANG XUE DONG MR
97
BIAN JENG IHONG MR
98
INDEER DEEP
99
DAVID KENNETH JOHN MR
100
DIARRA SIAKA DR
101
ABDELKADER MOHAMED DR
102
KIM HYUNG JUN MR
103
PATERSON DUNCAN MR
104
OSWARD LETICIA MRS
105
HENN ALBERT DR


Nationalities of Passengers and Crew onboard KQ 507

NATIONALITY
NUMBER
CAMEROON
37
INDIA
15
SOUTH AFRICA
7
IVORY COAST
6
NIGERIA
6
CHINA
5
BRITAIN
5
NIGER
3
CAR
2
EQUITORIAL GUINEA
2
DRC
2
MAURITANIA
1
KOREAN
1
SWISS
1
MALI
1
TOGO
1
SWEDEN
1
GHANA
1
COMOROS
1
MAURITIUS
1
SENEGAL
1
CONGO
1
EGYPT
1
TANZANIA
1
US
1
BURKINA FASO
1
KENYA ( CREW)
9
Total
114

[global718]

Anybody know who the crew is? Trained with some KQ guys

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Do you know crew names?

[denis1960]

It's in the Standard newspaper's cover page since this morning (and it is from this source that I copy), so I suppose it's okay to forward this information now:
Captain Francis Wamwea Mbatia
1st Officer Andrew Kiuru Wanyoike

My thought are with the families and friends

[denis1960]

And KQ has given a list of passengers:

http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143968249

[5Y-NOT]

Regarding the ADs, KQ absolutely complies with them. Press conference at the moment saying they're looking at an area of swamp closer to douala.

[Capt. Manuvar]

Reuters just issued a news alert that the wreckage has been found.

[Contract Dog]

DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) -- The wreckage of a Kenya Airways jetliner that crashed with 114 people aboard was found Sunday in a mangrove forest, an aviation official said, more than 40 hours after the plane disappeared outside Cameroon's commercial capital.
The wreckage was found about six miles outside Douala, said Thomas Sobakam, chief of meteorology for the city's airport. He said there was no word yet on survivors or the condition of the jetliner, which lost contact with the radio tower between 11 and 13 minutes after takeoff shortly after midnight on Saturday.
He said local fishermen led searchers to the site.
"It's close enough that we could have seen it from the airport - but apparently there was no smoke or fire," Sobakam said.
The search had initially focused on the thickly forested mountains near the town of Lolodorf, about 90 miles southeast of this coastal city, a nearly five hour's drive away on badly maintained roads. Sobakam said that they had been led to believe the plane had crashed in the vast and largely inaccessible forest because of an incorrect satellite signal, possibly from the crashing plane.
The search in the fog-shrouded forest was hampered by heavy rains. At the same time, aviation authorities sent out a ground crew to investigate claims by fishermen living in the swampy mangroves near the Douala airport. Several reported hearing a loud sound at the time of the suspected crash.
The Nairobi, Kenya-bound plane took off an hour late due to a heavy rainstorm. The drenching rains in the forest of Lolodorf may also have camouflaged the smoldering wreck in the nighttime hours immediately after the crash.
Cameroon rescue vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, rushed toward the scene of the crash Sunday with sirens blaring but were finding it difficult to navigate the narrow roads through the swamp, journalists in the convoy said.
The Nairobi, Kenya-bound plane, carrying 105 passengers and nine crew members from 27 different countries, took off an hour late due to a heavy rainstorm. The drenching rains may have camouflaged the smoldering wreck in the nighttime hours immediately after the crash.
Among the passengers of the Boeing 737-800 was a Nairobi-based Associated Press correspondent, Anthony Mitchell, one of five Britons on a passenger list released by the airline. Mitchell had been on assignment in the region.
"We hope for the best," said Kathleen Carroll, the AP executive editor.
Officials said it was too early to tell what might have caused the plane to go down between 11 and 13 minutes after takeoff.
"Whatever happened must have happened very fast, which is usually a sign of catastrophic structural failure," said Patrick Smith, a U.S. based-airline pilot and aviation commentator.
"A plane never takes off into a thunderstorm, no crew or carrier would allow that. But it is remotely possible that the plane could have inadvertently gone into some extremely turbulent air and suffered massive hail damage or a sudden structural failure."
Before the wreckage was found, family members of the passengers and crew of Flight 507 gathered at the Nairobi and Douala airports, weeping. The airline opened crisis centers at both airports.
"Oh my last born, my last born, where am I going to go?" Kezzia Musimbi Kadurenge, the mother of a missing crew member, said in Kenya. "I'm finished."
The Douala-Nairobi flight runs several times a week, and is commonly used as an intermediary flight to Europe and the Middle East.
Kenya Airways - considered one of the safest airlines in Africa - said most passengers were planning to transfer to ongoing flights in Nairobi. Naikuni said the plane was only six months old when it crashed.
The last crash of an international Kenya Airways flight was on Jan. 30, 2000, when Flight 431 was taking off from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on its way to Nairobi. Investigators blamed a faulty alarm and pilot error for that crash, which killed 169 people.
---
Associated Press writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Tom Maliti in Nairobi, Kenya; Rukmini Callimachi in Dakar, Senegal; and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels, Belgium, contributed to this report.

[11Fan]

... and as Very Low and Fast reported earlier on page 1 of this thread, there is a thread on the same subject over on R&N.

[Woof etc]

6 miles in 11-13 mins??? Thought a 737 would go a bit faster than that.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Maybe it was returning to the airport...

[Fat Reggie]

5Y-NOT...about the AD's, how would you know? Who is going to investigate the crash, KCAA? Are you talking about KCAA AD's? Last I checked, (and its been awhile), Kenya don't even have any AD's.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

BBC reports the plane disapeared from the radar, do they have radar out there? Or has the reporter just used the wrong phrase.
Apparently no chance of survivors since most of the fusalage is submerged in the swamp,

[Roger Copy Charlie]

I see there's a Duncan Paterson on the pax list... would that be the veteran survey pilot, also briefly of Solenta in 2001? Anybody any news?

[Roger Copy Charlie]

Unfortunately I can now answer my question above:

Passenger nr 103

Duncan Paterson
Norse Air Capt
SAAB 340

Very sad to hear he was on board. Duncan was a remarkable character, very professional pilot, good person and great fun too. Had the privilige to work with him briefly and he made a lasting impact in my life.

My condolences to his family and friends.

[sslut]

My thoughts are with Duncan's family tonight. Only knew him for a short while but what a great guy. He will be missed in the industry. Fly high and godspeed my friend.

[Fat Reggie]

I just hope the PROPER PEOPLE get to investigate why this happened and the reason corrected in good faith. Otherwise it will undoubtedly happen again.

[arf1410]

NTSB and Boeing enroute ...

[Maurice Chavez]

FROM: THE BOEING COMPANY
TO: XXX [MESSAGE NUMBER:1-324683031-4] 07-May-2007 08:53:35 US PACIFIC TIME
Multi Operator Message
CORRECTED COPY
This message supersedes Message Number 1-324683031-1 dated 05-May-2007 18:31:24 US PACIFIC TIME. Please destroy all copies of Message Number 1-324683031-1.
Reason for Corrected Copy: To add missing addressees on first send.
FROM: THE BOEING COMPANY
TO: XXX [MESSAGE NUMBER:1-324683031-1] 05-May-2007 18:31:24 US PACIFIC TIME
Multi Operator Message
SERVICE REQUEST ID: 1-324683031
ACCOUNT: BOEING CORRESPONDENCE (XXX)
PRODUCT TYPE: Airplane
PRODUCT LINE: 737
PRODUCT: 737-800
ATA: 0230-00
SUBJECT: 737-800 MISSING NEAR DOUALA, CAMEROON - 5 MAY 2007
The following is sent to all customers, field service bases, regional directors, customer resident representatives and other selected organizations. The following message contains confidential commercial information and is intended only for the internal use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and not for disclosure to others.
A 737-800 has been reported missing while on an international flight from Douala, Cameroon to Nairobi, Kenya. Cameroonian authorities are currently searching for the airplane approximately 100 miles east-southeast of Douala. Media reports indicate that the aircraft carried 105 passengers and 9 crew members. The fate of those on-board and the state of the airplane are not known at this time. Heavy rain was reported in the area at the time of the event (approximately 0015 UTC).
This event is being investigated by the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The US is providing assistance to the CAA under the guidelines of ICAO Annex 13. Personnel from the US NTSB, US FAA, Boeing, and CFM/Snecma are being dispatched to Cameroon to assist.
Boeing has not received confirmation of the airplane identification as is thought to be either 5Y-KYA or 5Y-KYB. 5Y-KYA, serial number 35069, was delivered in October 2006. At last report 5Y-KYA had 1,440 hours and 476 cycles. 5Y-KYB, serial number 35070 was delivered November 2006. At last report, 5Y-KYB had accumulated about 976 hours AND 336 cycles and.
Boeing has no recommended operator action at this time. If the investigation shows any specific actions are recommended or required, operators will be notified.
XX XXXXXXXX
Chief Engineer - Air Safety Investigation
The Boeing Company

[CJ750]

There is no radar in Douala. However i have question. Did the ELT work. If this is a new generation aircraft then surely it would be a new generation ELT which would be very accurate. Why then were they searching miles away.

MY CONDOLENCES TO ALL WHO HAD FRIENDS OR FAMILY ON THE ILL FATED FLIGHT

Makes for interesting reading


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/08/africa/AF-GEN-Cameroon-Plane-Crash.php

[5N-OSA]

I Quickly went to airliners.net to check out if they had any shots on thier database and sure enough they have this http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1131256/L/ A pride of Africa is Gone ..
My condolences and my sympathy to all who are in distress.

[Dan Air 87]

I have lost a dear friend in this disaster and my thoughts are not only with his family but also with the relatives of the crew and the other victims.

My only concern here is why has a complete list of the names of the victims being published on this forum? It is down right disrespectful to the victims and to the families of the victims having this information published in this way. Its scandalous and deeply upsetting.

No it's not Dan - it's in the public domain and no great secret. Don't let your grief cloud the fact that modern facilities provide for accelerated communication. Grieve, don't grumble. 4HP

[shikubaby]

I would urge we all remain cool. Speculation and the like will just not help at this point in time.

My heartfelt condolences to all affected.

Peace

[4HolerPoler]

Thread creep warning. Yes you, Fat Reggie. Keep it on-topic or it goes in the bin.

4HP

[musaQ]

Bodies recovered - about 86. The crash site was about 5km from the end of the RWY. Cameroon authorities initially searching very far south.
My condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

[ZAZOO]

Its just so sad.

Was in Douala on sunday evening on our way to Libreville when the wreckage was found.
Normaly come in to Douala about the same time Kenya comes in on their way to Nairobi.
As we departed for Libreville we overheard Kenya inbound to DLA asking the controler about the aircraft location and the situation of the wreckage with a few more questions about how it all happened.

We listened and all held back our ATC messages to allow the Kenyan Captain!

Was very difficult for us, you could feel the man, you could understand ere he was coming from he had lost friends maybe a bossom friend, he had lost an aircraft with over 110 people.

We greeted the Kenyan airlines and all carried on to our various destinations.

My heart felt Condolences go out to Kenya Airlines and all the families of the deceased.

[V1_RHOT8]

A Kenyan buddy sent me this link, I feel it's too early for this and other issues need to be addressed.

http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143968485

[rmac]

Philby 737

Reference your post about the return to Nairobi on the 30th, I have posted in R&N about a KQ 737 departed earlier the same day for Accra and Freetown, and came back in a hurry to Nairobi after less than an hour in the air, and by all accounts landed quite fast, using up a fair bit of the runway in the process. My colleague who was pax, reported offloading in Nairobi and departing within the hour (on same type, but maybe not same airframe), the Douala/Abidjan flight would have departed later in the day.

Incidentally the airline schedule shows the Friday night flight to be run with a 767 normally.

rmac

[Edward Hewer]

Thanks for posting your warm comments about Duncan Paterson here on this forum.

I barely knew Duncan when we were kids in S.A. but my Godmother is a close friend of his family, especially Duncan’s Mum. My Godmother has told me about him being on board so I did a quick search and came across your thread here.

Duncans mother resides in Perth, Western Australia. My understanding is she has gone to Africa to make funeral arrangements.

I am an aviation enthusiast and it is nice to come across your website and forum.

Please let me know via PM if I can forward on your sentiments to his mother.

I hope to post here again on happier terms. Thanks.

Ed.

[GBFOE]

Please can you tell me if this is the same Duncan Patterson from Pietermaritzburg, went to Merchiston Jr. School? Thanks

[Megan Paterson]

Roger copy charlie, thank you for what you said about Duncan Paterson. Much appreciated. It is nice to know that he was well known and well liked through out the aviation industry, and outside it too.

Megan Paterson (niece of Duncan Paterson)

[Megan Paterson]

Can anyone please confirm with me if the flight recorder has been found?

[arf1410]

flight recorder, yes; voice recorder, no

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Thought they'd just found the CVR in the last day or so, according to news reports. FDR has already been sent to the US AFAIK.

[Pontius' Pilot]

Heard from someone on the investigation that a 'ping' was picked up from the CVR, did not hear whether it has been found yet.

FDR - I believe was sent to Canada and the traces already sent to Cameroon.

[BOAC]

From R&N Thread 16/6/07:

From the AP 16/6/07


A search team has found the cockpit voice recorder of a Kenya Airways plane that crashed in Cameroon last month, killing 114 people, the airline's chief executive officer says.

The voice recorder was found on Friday afternoon and Cameroonian authorities are now making arrangements to get it to Canada as soon as possible, Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni said in a brief statement.

When it is analysed, the voice recorder is expected to reveal the final exchanges between the plane's captain and his co-pilot and also any conversations with the control tower in Cameroon's commercial capital of Douala.

The Kenya Airways flight nose-dived into a swamp in the West African country less than two minutes after taking off from Douala on a stormy night on May 5. The Boeing 737-800 had been bound for Kenya.

The plane's data recorder was found last month and taken to Canada for analysis. A preliminary review showed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction, the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement posted on its web site.

The authority said a full report of what led to the crash will take as long as a year.

The preliminary investigation found that all crew members were sufficiently trained and certified according to expected aviation guidelines, the statement said