Luxembourg - Port Harcourt

On December 17, 1996 at 05:00 AM, Luxembourg - Port Harcourt experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-8, operated by MK Airlines, with the event recorded near Port Harcourt Rivers.

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

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. While descending to Port Harcourt Airport, the pilot-in-command established a visual contact with the runway lights at an altitude of 2,500 feet. The approach was continued when few seconds later, while the crew was thinking his altitude was 390 feet, the aircraft collided with trees. The captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure but all four engines failed to respond properly. The aircraft continued to descend and struck the ground 250 metres short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All four crew members escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the aircraft was unstable on final approach.

Aircraft reference details include registration 9G-MKD, MSN 45965, year of manufacture 1968.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.8317°, 7.0118°.