Addis-Abeba – Asmara

On September 5, 1961 at 12:00 AM, Addis-Abeba – Asmara experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Ethiopian Airlines, with the event recorded near Sendafa Oromia.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

19 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 14 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 26.3%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 16, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Few minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa-Bole Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered problems with both propellers that were turning improperly. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a prairie located in Sendafa, about 30 km northeast of Bole Airport. One pilot and four passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration ET-T-16, MSN 13305, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 9.1559°, 39.0238°.