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Noxegon
19th Aug 2012, 11:47
No specifics yet...

Dozens killed in Sudan plane crash - The Irish Times - Sun, Aug 19, 2012 (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0819/breaking6.html)

Noxegon
19th Aug 2012, 11:50
Crash: Alfa Airlines AN24 or AN26 near Talodi on Aug 19th 2012, impacted mountain during go-around (http://avherald.com/h?article=454807ea&opt=0)

Smudger
19th Aug 2012, 15:13
Sky news online now saying it was a helicopter ?!?!?

Blind Squirrel
19th Aug 2012, 17:04
...including a government minister, two junior ministers, and three generals.

Sudan minister among 32 dead in Eid plane crash - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/sudan-plane-blast-kills-31-including-officials-082218372.html)

Tempsford
19th Aug 2012, 17:39
Lots of u/s aircraft on the ramp in KRT. Shortage of spares due to sanctions is one of the main reasons. Whoever the sanctions may be imposed by, those sanctions are having an impact. Look at the Sudan Airways Maintenanace area at KRT. There are a lot of aircaft from various manufacturers gathering dust.

pattern_is_full
19th Aug 2012, 18:30
This was basically outback flying - into a dirt strip at a town of 2,000 or less, with no navaids, in poor visibility. The strip is probably hard to pick out even in clear weather (check google maps - hint: it is SE of the town).

I doubt politics had anything to do with the crash - unless it was "executive get-there-itis" from the generals and ministers in back pressuring the pilots. (shades of the Polish President in Russia).

I take issue with the descriptions that this is mountainous terrain. It is basically flat desert to the horizon, with sporadic rocky outcroppings. Unfortunately, two of the outcroppings bracket Talodi's dirt strip, so a blind turn at the wrong moment can put one into 600-meter (2,000-ft) terrain a couple of klicks to the west, or a 300-meter hill to the east (heights relative to airstrip elevation of 500 m).

The Ancient Geek
19th Aug 2012, 21:01
Nothing to do with sanctions.
Basically a bush strip with no navaids. All operations should be strictly VFR, they continued into IMC and got bitten by cumulogranitus.

Tempsford
19th Aug 2012, 21:13
When working at KRT recently, I noted that there were a number of aircraft outside the Sudan Airways hangar. On asking why there were a lot of aircaft lying around, including 'modern' types, I was advised that they were u/s due to lack of spares. A fact, not a criticism and an observation that I felt as a person who was recently in KRT on airline business, may have been useful to this discussion.

The Ancient Geek
19th Aug 2012, 22:35
There are problems getting spares due to the lack of hard currency but this does not generally affect safety. Any unserviceable aircraft gets canibalised for spares to keep the rest flying. They do their best in challenging circumstances.

None of which explains a simple case of CFIT in IMC when they should have been flying VFR.

Sadly gethereitis is always a temptation, especially in Africa where navaids are scarce and working navaids are even scarecer. Suitable diversions are few and far between.
Scud running becomes a habit and eventually it bites.

lambert
20th Aug 2012, 11:10
Strange, that, Alpha Airlines is on the list of airlines banned within the EU. Dont think flying in a haboob can be considered as scud running! By the way, this bush strip had just been extended and hardened and looks like a pretty decent field with helicopter pad as well. Looks like a strategic military field to ward off those Southern Sudanese.

lilflyboy262...2
20th Aug 2012, 16:04
How does US sanctions affect a Russian aircraft?

Syria has some pretty hard sanctions on them from the US and Russia is telling them (the US) to jump in a lake.

Parts are available. $$$ to buy them is not.

But when it is a CFIT accident, this whole argument is moot anyway as the plane was servicable up until point of impact.