Gondar - Addis Ababa

After takeoff from Gondar Airport, while on a cargo flight to Addis Ababa, the hydraulic pressure failed. As the crew was unable to raise the landing gear, the captain decided to return for an emergency landing. With flaps down at 7°, the aircraft landed 400 meters past the runway threshold. Following a course of 900 meters, the aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in a ditch. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.

Flight / Schedule

Gondar - Addis Ababa

Registration

ET-AHI

MSN

101

Year of Manufacture

1981

Date

November 8, 1988 at 10:45 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Gondar Amhara

Region

Africa • Ethiopia

Coordinates

12.6106°, 37.4694°

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On November 8, 1988 at 10:45 AM, Gondar - Addis Ababa experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, with the event recorded near Gondar Amhara.

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, 1 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 25.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is technical failure. After takeoff from Gondar Airport, while on a cargo flight to Addis Ababa, the hydraulic pressure failed. As the crew was unable to raise the landing gear, the captain decided to return for an emergency landing. With flaps down at 7°, the aircraft landed 400 meters past the runway threshold. Following a course of 900 meters, the aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in a ditch. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration ET-AHI, MSN 101, year of manufacture 1981.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 12.6106°, 37.4694°.

Fatalities

Total

1

Crew

1

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

After takeoff from Gondar Airport, while on a cargo flight to Addis Ababa, the hydraulic pressure failed. As the crew was unable to raise the landing gear, the captain decided to return for an emergency landing. With flaps down at 7°, the aircraft landed 400 meters past the runway threshold. Following a course of 900 meters, the aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in a ditch. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

3

Fatality Rate

25.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Gondar - Addis Ababa

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Africa • Ethiopia

Aircraft Details

Registration

ET-AHI

MSN

101

Year of Manufacture

1981

Similar Plane Crashes

February 24, 1936 at 12:00 AM

Ethiopian Government

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Shortly after takeoff from Akaki, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed. The crew was performing a flight within Ethiopia on behalf of the Ethiopian Red Cross. Both occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

November 18, 1942 at 12:00 AM

British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC

De Havilland DH.95 Flamingo

Crashed on take off from Addis Ababa-Lideta Airport. Occupant fate unknown.

March 20, 1947 at 12:00 AM6 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a desert area located about 40 km southwest of Dessie. All six occupants were killed.

July 22, 1948 at 12:00 AM

Ethiopian Airlines

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

After landing, the aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway, overran and hit some rocks. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. For unknown reason, the aircraft landed too far down the runway.

July 10, 1957 at 09:20 AM

Ethiopian Airlines

Lockheed L-749 Constellation

The aircraft left Khartoum International Aerodrome at 0555 hours GMT on 10 July carrying a crew of 6 and 14 passengers and was cleared to cruise at 17 500 feet. At 0610 hours, at about 10 500 feet altitude, the number two engine fire warning light for zones 2 and 3 came on and the warning bell rang. The engine was feathered. The CO2 bottle was released and concurrently an explosion followed by a violent fire, made it necessary (at approximately 0620) to land the aircraft with gear up on a large flat cultivated area. There were no injuries to passengers or crew, but the aircraft was almost totally destroyed by fire which continued burning on the ground.

July 15, 1960 at 12:40 PM1 Fatalities

Ethiopian Airlines

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The aircraft departed Bulki at 1204LT on a flight to Jimma, carrying a crew of three, eight passengers and a load of coffee. On approach, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and as the airplane was too low, it struck the slope of a mountain located about 27 km south of the airfield. Ten occupants were injured while one of the pilot was killed.