Johannesburg – Bulawayo – Lusaka – Tabora – Juba – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Cairo – Southend
Flight / Schedule
Johannesburg – Bulawayo – Lusaka – Tabora – Juba – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Cairo – Southend
Aircraft
Douglas DC-2Registration
ZS-DFW
MSN
1322
Year of Manufacture
1934
Operator
Phoenix AirlinesDate
August 29, 1952 at 09:05 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Kosti White Nile (<U+0627><U+0644><U+0646><U+064A><U+0644> <U+0627><U+0644><U+0623><U+0628><U+064A><U+0636>)
Region
Africa • Sudan
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On August 29, 1952 at 09:05 PM, Johannesburg – Bulawayo – Lusaka – Tabora – Juba – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Cairo – Southend experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-2, operated by Phoenix Airlines, with the event recorded near Kosti White Nile (<U+0627><U+0644><U+0646><U+064A><U+0644> <U+0627><U+0644><U+0623><U+0628><U+064A><U+0636>).
The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
4 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft took off on a cargo flight from Rand Airport in Jo'burg to Southend, England, with a crew of four, two passengers and a load of Karakul pelts. The passengers left the aircraft at Bulawayo, deciding not to complete their journey. The aircraft started in company with another of the same operator which also crashed en route. On attempting a diversion landing at Kosti at night without suitable ground aids, the aircraft ran off the runway and collided with a steel support for a windsock and afterwards with trees causing major damage. Two crew were killed and two were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Aircraft reference details include registration ZS-DFW, MSN 1322, year of manufacture 1934.
Fatalities
Total
2
Crew
2
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The aircraft took off on a cargo flight from Rand Airport in Jo'burg to Southend, England, with a crew of four, two passengers and a load of Karakul pelts. The passengers left the aircraft at Bulawayo, deciding not to complete their journey. The aircraft started in company with another of the same operator which also crashed en route. On attempting a diversion landing at Kosti at night without suitable ground aids, the aircraft ran off the runway and collided with a steel support for a windsock and afterwards with trees causing major damage. Two crew were killed and two were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
2
Fatality Rate
50.0%
Known people on board: 4
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Johannesburg – Bulawayo – Lusaka – Tabora – Juba – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Cairo – Southend
Operator
Phoenix AirlinesFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Africa • Sudan
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
South African Air Force
Vickers FB.27 Vimy Commercial
The crew departed Brooklands, UK, for Derna on the night of 04FEB1920. After a 11-hour flight, the crew encountered bad weather conditions over the Mediterranean Sea but was able to land without problems in Derna, Lybia, to refuel. While approaching Wadi Halfa Airport by night, the crew encountered technical problems (a radiator leak) when the aircraft crashed short of runway. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft named 'Silver Queen' was destroyed. Crew: Lt Col Pierre Van Ryneveld, Lt Christopher Joseph Quintin-Brand.
Handley Page Transport
Handley Page H.P.12
The crew was completing one of the first trans-Africa flight from UK to South Africa. En route from Aswan to Khartoum, while cruising at an altitude of 7,800 feet, the airplane suffered oscillations and vibrations. The crew shut down both engines and elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a desert area located 10 km north of Shereik. All four crew evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Royal Air Force - RAF
Handley Page H.P.12
The twin engine aircraft departed Khartoum on a flight to Cairo. En route, the airplane suffered a structural failure and crashed near Abu Hamad, about 450 km north of Khartoum, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed. Crew: F/O John Barclay Jaques, F/O Desmond Wilkie Sibley, Sgt Edmund West Wadey, AC2 Reginald Colin Meldrum.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij
Douglas DC-2
The crew departed Cairo-Almaza Airport at 2330LT bound for Baghdad. While overflying the Iraqi Desert at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Rutbah Wells. On approach, the aircraft was at full power when it impacted the ground in a 17° right bank angle and 12° nose down attitude. The aircraft crashed and exploded some 16 km from the Rutbah Wells Airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed. Crew: Wilhelm Marie Okko Anne Beekman, pilot, Jan Johannes van Steenbergen, copilot, Hendrik Abraham Waalewijn, engineer, Gysbert van Zadelhoff, radio navigator. Passengers: Dominique Willem Berretty, E. W. Walch, Jacob Thymen Kort.
Transcontinental %26 Western Air - TWA
Douglas DC-2
While cruising ten kilometres west from Macon, Missouri, in bad weather conditions, pilots elected to contact the base in Kansas City without any success. In low visibility due to fog, crew was unable to locate his position and eventually elected to make an emergency landing in an open field. But the aircraft hit the ground and crashed. Senator of New Mexico Bronson M. Cutting was killed with two other passengers and both pilots.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij
Douglas DC-2
During the takeoff run at Bushehr Airport, after traveling a distance of some 300 meters and running at a speed of 120 km/h, the aircraft christened 'Maraboe' hit an unevenness on the runway surface. The right main gear broke off and a fuel line was cut. The aircraft went out of control, swerved on runway and eventually came to rest in flames. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.