ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 318731
| Date: | Sunday 6 November 2022 |
| Time: | 08:53 |
| Type: |  ATR 42-500 |
| Owner/operator: | Precision Air |
| Registration: | 5H-PWF |
| MSN: | 819 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2010 |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 43 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | off Bukoba Airport (BKZ) -
 Tanzania
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Dar es Salaam International Airport (DAR/HTDA) |
| Bukoba Airport (BKZ/HTBU) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Precision Air flight 494, an ATR 42-500, came down in Lake Victoria while on final approach to Bukoba Airport (BKZ), Tanzania.
The pilot, copilot and seventeen passengers died in the accident.
The aircraft took off from Dar es Salaam at 06:10 hours Local Time and the estimated time of arrival al Bukoba was 08:25. The enroute weather was reported to be fine and the flight to Bukoba was uneventful.
The weather at Bukoba was good up to 08:20 when it abruptly changed and started raining with thunderstorms and strong winds. The reported visibility reduced from 10 km to 2 km.
The flight reached Bukoba at 08:25 to find that the weather had changed several minutes earlier. There were thunderstorms, Cumulonimbus (CBs) clouds and strong winds. According to eye witnesses the aircraft circled twice in the Bukoba area and the crew advised the passengers that the flight may have to divert to Mwanza if the weather at Bukoba did not improve.
However, on the third attempt, the runway became visible and the pilot initiated the approach to runway 31. On final approach the aircraft impacted the water of Lake Victoria. The main landing gear separated and the cabin floor was dislodged by the impact, allowing water to enter the cabin at high pressure as the aircraft decelerated before coming to a stop.
Canoes and fishermen arrived after about 5 minutes and they transferred the survivors to their boats. Two crew members and 22 passengers were rescued.
Bukoba has a single runway (13/31), 1385 m long. Distance between the shore and the runway 31 threshold is 130 meters.
Sources:
twitter.com/TanzaniaInsight
Precision Air
tbc.go.tz
TCAA Statement
AAIB preliminary report
Location
Images:
photo (c) T.Laurent; Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS/LFBO); 27 August 2010
Revision history:
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