Plane crash reported off Ivory Coast

[Below the glide]

Heard off BBC, Aircraft crashes into sea off Ivory Coast shortly after taking off from Abidjan in a storm

[sitigeltfel]

Link to the above (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41620589)

[jeehaa]

Antonov An-26 crashed off Ivory coast shortly after takeoff (http://www.airlive.net/breaking-a-aircraft-crashed-off-ivory-coast-shortly-after-takeoff/)

http://www.airlive.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/pix_1507974262e094422_1.jpg

AVHerald (http://avherald.com/h?article=4afac6ce&opt=0)

https://preview.ibb.co/hN3ziw/IMG_0268.jpg (https://ibb.co/mqOziw)

[Thaihawk]

More here,

https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20171014/world/plane-crashes-into-sea-off-ivory-coast.660377

[sitigeltfel]

Further pics and survivors being treated on the beach..

Crash d'un avion cargo militaire dans la mer en Côte-d'Ivoire | La Provence (http://www.laprovence.com/actu/en-direct/4663264/crash-dun-avion-cargo-militaire-dans-la-mer-en-cote-divoire.html)

[falconeasydriver]

From the Pics it looks like number 2 was still developing power, the forward bent props are consistent with a water impact whilst power is being developed, how much is the question....

[Hotel Tango]

It would appear to be Moldovian registered An-26, ER-AVB, of VALAN International Cargo.

[golfyankeesierra]

I see they used 21 with a slight tailwind which should be fine (although there is some TS reported) but I remember from my flights in that part of Africa (in the distant past) that there is usually also a low level inversion with associated shear. Any locals to comment?

[Super VC-10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Valan_International_Antonov_An-26_crash

[NWA SLF]

Aircraft was not taking off. Later reports confirm it was trying to land in bad weather and landed short of the runway, in the Ocean, killing half of those on board.

[The Ancient Geek]

Over run after aborted takeoff. Some reports say landing short of the runway so some confusion - time will clarify.
Ancient Russian type operated in Africa by a "lowest bidder" freight charter operator - no surprises here. This sort of thing happens regularly in Africa where nobody learns from history.
Gross overloading and probable vodka involvement would by par for the course for these operations but we have no evidence yet so innocent until proven guilty. As usual we will probably never see a proper accident investigation report.

[aligee]

Avherald report landing short for 03 after a flight from Burkina Faso.Weather apparently poor with thunderstorms.

[cactusbusdrvr]

It astonishes me that the French government would be using sketchy Eastern European cargo operators for moving their military equipment and personnel around. I have friends that have flown extensively in Africa. The number of Antonovs littering the landscape is huge.

[Metro man]

It’s not unusual for the cargo to go on the cheapest fly by night operator, whilst personnel go by a different, fully audited western standard company.

There are many contract companies around operating to the book which pass regular inspections from competent civil aviation authorities and independent auditors, they just happen to be a lot more expensive.

[The Ancient Geek]

The UN is one of the worst factors, any UN funded operations MUST go to the lowest bidder.
There is nothing wrong with Antonovs, they are excellent aircraft, built like a brick khazi and very safe but any aircraft in the hands of cowboy operators will rapidly turn into a can of worms.

[bud leon]

That's not correct. UN procurement guidelines stipulate best value for money and the guidance specifically states that does not mean the lowest initial cost. Before you post information like that you really should make sure you know what you are talking about.

[rcsa]

It astonishes me that the French government would be using sketchy Eastern European cargo operators for moving their military equipment and personnel around. I have friends that have flown extensively in Africa. The number of Antonovs littering the landscape is huge.

There's plenty of US military equipment and personnel gets lifted around Africa and the Middle East in E European /ex Sov aircraft and helicopters. Antonovs, Ilyushin and MIL make aircraft that are solid, easily maintained, cheap, robust, widely available and discreet. All useful qualities in both aid and military support ops.

As for this whole 'vodka swilling Russian pilot' trope that seems so popular here - (a) most of the Russian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Georgian and other aircrew I've flown with over the years have been highly competent and professional. Audacious, yes, and sometimes prepared to fly in conditions that would make your average 'western' ATPL call in sick; and (b) dubiously sober aircrew is not a nationality issue - I've come across Saffer and US and Aussie aircrew who cane it in the bar all night then stagger across to the airfield, kick the tyres and wobble off into the sunrise. I've seen the old WW2 fighter pilot hangover cure - a long hard suck on the 02 just after wheels-up - more than once.

[MungoP]

BUD LEON
That's not correct. UN procurement guidelines stipulate best value for money and the guidance specifically states that does not mean the lowest initial cost. Before you post information like that you really should make sure you know what you are talking about.

Be that as it may.. During my time operating in DRC I witnessed many questionable operations by outfits from ex USSR countries. Old poorely maintained a/c. Smelling alcohol on the breath of pilots. Cargo a/c selling space to locals probably to subsidize the miserable pay of the pilots (it was common following the crash of a 'cargo' a/c to hear that 20+ bodies had been recovered).

Watching an Antonov 12 or whatever struggling to get airborne then seemingly relying on the curvature of the earth to gain altitude was an amusing pastime while waiting around on the ramp. It was obvious that A/c were so heavily overloaded that a 4 eng transport didn't need to lose an engine, just one engine not producing max power would put the plane in jeopardy.

I don't ever recall our outfit being ramp checked by a UN representative though I'm aware of one Ukrainian operation that was closed down following an accident, I had the chance ro look into the sea container that represented their 'parts store', it was comparable to what one might expect going to a scrap yard looking for car parts. Nothing labled just old bits lying on shelves or on the floor. Of course not all of these outfits are operating on UN contracts.

[jolihokistix]

So who did they arrest and why?
Ivory Coast crash: Four die when cargo plane plunges into sea - BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41620589)

[Metro man]

Following the break up of the Soviet Union, there were plenty of aircraft and crews floating around looking for work. With a lower cost base and staff willing to accept pay and conditions below what a western operator would need to offer, there was no difficulty in undercutting established operators.

Corruption is not totally new in Russia and Africa or with some of those signing contracts. Once the correct backhanders are being paid the operation is left alone.

Overloading and breaking flight and duty time limits is taken for granted. Add in anything else you can think of; forged documentation, highly questionable maintenance, breaking minimums, flying under the influence of alcohol etc and the results aren’t surprising.

I’ve seen operations in Africa that in a first world country would have been instantly grounded and the people involved facing charges.

[_Phoenix]

Vodka involvement, breaking safety rules and regulations, breaking minimums. By any chance, are you talking about operators of one of the finest first world: Sunwing, Air Canada at SFO and Westjet at SXM?

About the Moldovan plane crash the reality and the latest news are as follows:
Details were given at the crisis cell meeting that was convened by Prime Minister Pavel Filip:
Four crew member died. The captain, 63 years old had a flight experience of nearly 24,000 hours, of which 13,000 on the AN-26. The youngest member of the crew was only 30 years old, he was the first officer and had 2200 hours of flight experience. He was married and left behind a child. The other two dead: the flight engineer and the technician.
An airplane carrying air conditioning systems took off from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and was due to land in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The aircraft has disappeared from the radar station just 500 meters from the airport runway.
"We talked to the technicians, one and the other in the hospital, they said they were going to land and fell into the water." The engines were working, "All worked!"
For the time being, it is unclear why the airplane crashed, but it is supposed to be bad weather, because at the time of the accident there was a storm, accompanied by electric discharges.
"The last overhaul was carried out in Kiev on 2005. In February 2017, the regular check was done by Antonov and the aircraft got the CofA" says Nicolaie Buzu, director Deputy Civil Aviation Authority.
The Ivorian authorities have recovered the black box of the plane and a team of four Moldovan specialists will go to the scene of the accident.
"To ensure that this accident is investigated exactly as required by the international standards imposed by ICAO. If it is necessary to attract representatives of the Ukrainian manufacturers and aircraft manufacturers," Prime Minister Pavel Filip said
google translate from here (https://www.publika.md/noi-detalii-despre-tragedia-aviatica-din-coasta-de-fildes-in-urma-careia-au-murit-patru-moldoveni_2983596.html)

[Super VC-10]

Aircraft was not taking off. Later reports confirm it was trying to land in bad weather and landed short of the runway, in the Ocean, killing half of those on board.

Wikipedia article now updated. :ok:

[ManaAdaSystem]

There's plenty of US military equipment and personnel gets lifted around Africa and the Middle East in E European /ex Sov aircraft and helicopters. Antonovs, Ilyushin and MIL make aircraft that are solid, easily maintained, cheap, robust, widely available and discreet. All useful qualities in both aid and military support ops.

As for this whole 'vodka swilling Russian pilot' trope that seems so popular here - (a) most of the Russian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Georgian and other aircrew I've flown with over the years have been highly competent and professional. Audacious, yes, and sometimes prepared to fly in conditions that would make your average 'western' ATPL call in sick

Maybe that was what they were doing in this accident?