Unairworthy Antonov AN-12 crashes in the Republic of the Congo.

[Super VC-10]

Antonov An-12 TN-AGK crashed in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo yesterday. The aircraft had been listed as unworthy by the ICAO in July 2006. A number of people were killed, including all four crew, five illegal passengers (An-12 banned from use as a passenger aircraft in RoC) and a number on the ground.

ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 12BP TN-AGK ? Pointe Noire Airport (PNR)
Crash: Trans Air Congo AN12 at Pointe-Noire on Mar 21st 2011, impacted houses on landing
Congo Sets up Team to Investigate Plane Crash
Cargo plane crashes in Republic of Congo city, at least 19 dead Breaking News | Wire Update News | News Wires -
AFP: At least 19 dead after plane crashes in Congo city
BBC News - Congo: Cargo plane crashes in Pointe-Noire, killing 16

[Piltdown Man]

How unusual, an aircraft crash in DRC.

[wes_wall]

A TV cameraman who saw the crash was quoted as saying that the pilot had been able to get out of the cockpit before the plane came to a rest

Now, how is that possible?

[doubleu-anker]

How very unusual an un airworthy aircraft flew in the DRC.

[GarageYears]

Quote:
A TV cameraman who saw the crash was quoted as saying that the pilot had been able to get out of the cockpit before the plane came to a rest
Now, how is that possible?

Er, you've seen the pics in the news reports right? There was no cockpit left... I guess that was your point?

[JanetFlight]

How unusual, an aircraft crash in DRC.

How very unusual an un airworthy aircraft flew in the DRC.

AFAIK last time i went to Point Noire was not in the DRC...but world keeps turning

[Gerard13]

Pictures

Pictures of the crash, from a Congolese blog:

Congo : crash d'un avion cargo sur Pointe-Noire | Un Congo dé-chaîné et indépendant

[GarageYears]

Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo

As opposed to the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo... I guess the Republic of the Congo is not democratic

Otherwise not much different would be my guess.

[oopspff7]

Video clip on Daily Telegraph website.

[Starbear]

Video Link

As oopspff7 says:

Video in Daily Telegraph-UK

[widebody69]

Just goes to show with 'witness statements'. Obviously this witness never saw the crash.

[Machinbird]

Anyone see any exhaust from the Starboard engines?
See how the exhausts from the port engines diverge under the influence of local airflow as the aircraft rolls.

[lomapaseo]

I got to admit I was surprised to see a transport aircraft roll over on its back during approach.

I'll leave it to the aero guys to comment

My inital thoughts are significant asymetrical thrust at too low a speed or;
just too low a speed and a stalled wing,

There might be some clues in these clips

[iceman50]

Watching the video it looks as though the two starboard props are just windmilling! So a two engine out approach, below Vmca / too much thrust and nowhere to go to get speed?

[Super VC-10]

That sounds at least plausible. Is the An-12 capable of sustaining flight on the port engines only?

[lambert]

On these aircraft, smoke from an engine means it is running, no smoke means it is not!

[samusi01]

If, indeed, it is a strobing effect there may be a significant difference in prop RPM between the port/starboard engines as the strobing would appear to be limited to one side.

[Super VC-10]

In answer to my earlier question, Aviation Herald now saying that the failure of both engines on one side would produce asymmetric thrust in excess of the rudder's ability to counteract it.

[flysebi]

I don't exclude that was about an asimetrical engine torque...but it's possible that an aileron was blocked...so that the aircraft rolled over...

[lomapaseo]

In answer to my earlier question, Aviation Herald now saying that the failure of both engines on one side would produce asymmetric thrust in excess of the rudder's ability to counteract it.

That's nothing more than a "would of", could-of" that they probably read here.

Are there any additional facts to support this?