Date: | Saturday 14 May 1977 |
Time: | 09:33 |
Type: | Boeing 707-321C |
Owner/operator: | IAS Cargo |
Registration: | G-BEBP |
MSN: | 18579/332 |
Year of manufacture: | 1963 |
Total airframe hrs: | 47621 hours |
Cycles: | 16723 flights |
Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | 3,7 km W of Lusaka Airport (LUN) -
Zambia
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Phase: | Approach |
Nature: | Cargo |
Departure airport: | Nairobi International Airport (NBO/HKNA) |
Destination airport: | Lusaka Airport (LUN/FLLS) |
Investigating agency: | AIB |
Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:The aircraft departed Nairobi (NBO) at 07:17 for the final leg of a London-Heathrow - Athens - Nairobi - Lusaka cargo flight. Boeing 707 G-BEBP proceeded to Lusaka at FL310. At 09:07 the flight was cleared to descend to FL110. This altitude was reached at 09:23, 37nm DME from Lusaka. A clearance was then given to descend further down to FL70 in 1000 feet steps. At 09:28 the co-pilot reported that the airfield was in sight. Lusaka then cleared the aircraft to descend to 6000 feet (2221 feet above runway elevation) and moments later a clearance was given to make a visual approach for runway 10. At 09:32 flaps were selected to 50 degrees. Suddenly, at 09:33, the complete right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly were seen to separate in flight. The aircraft pitched rapidly nose down and dived vertically into the ground from a height of about 800 feet. The main wreckage was located 3660 m from the runway threshold.
CAUSE: "The accident was caused by a loss of pitch control following the in-flight separation of the right hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator as a result of a combination of metal fatigue and inadequate failsafe design in the rear spar structure. Shortcomings in design assessment, certification and inspection procedures were contributory factors.
Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: | AIB |
Report number: | AAR 9/1978 |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 1 year and 9 months |
Download report: | Final report |
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Sources:
Location
Images:
photo (c) AAIB
photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; London-Heathrow Airport (LHR); October 1976
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |