Butiaba – Entebbe

The American writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife Mary were completing a safari in the region of the Muchison Falls in Uganda when their Cessna 180 registered VP-KLI hit a utility pole and crashed in a field on January 23. As they were wounded, it was decided to transfer them to Entebbe and a DH.89 of East African Airways was chartered. While taking off from Butiaba Airstrip, the Dragon exploded and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were seriously injured and burned.

Flight / Schedule

Butiaba – Entebbe

Registration

VP-KEA

MSN

6890

Year of Manufacture

1945

Date

January 24, 1954 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Butiaba Western

Region

Africa • Uganda

Coordinates

1.4342°, 31.3517°

Narrative Report

On January 24, 1954 at 12:00 AM, Butiaba – Entebbe experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide, operated by East African Airways, with the event recorded near Butiaba Western.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The American writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife Mary were completing a safari in the region of the Muchison Falls in Uganda when their Cessna 180 registered VP-KLI hit a utility pole and crashed in a field on January 23. As they were wounded, it was decided to transfer them to Entebbe and a DH.89 of East African Airways was chartered. While taking off from Butiaba Airstrip, the Dragon exploded and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were seriously injured and burned.

Aircraft reference details include registration VP-KEA, MSN 6890, year of manufacture 1945.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 1.4342°, 31.3517°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The American writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife Mary were completing a safari in the region of the Muchison Falls in Uganda when their Cessna 180 registered VP-KLI hit a utility pole and crashed in a field on January 23. As they were wounded, it was decided to transfer them to Entebbe and a DH.89 of East African Airways was chartered. While taking off from Butiaba Airstrip, the Dragon exploded and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were seriously injured and burned.

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

3

Estimated Survivors

4

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Butiaba – Entebbe

Flight Type

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Africa • Uganda

Aircraft Details

Registration

VP-KEA

MSN

6890

Year of Manufacture

1945

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