Málaga – Melilla

On September 25, 1998 at 07:50 AM, Málaga – Melilla experienced a crash involving BAe 146, operated by Paukn Air, with the event recorded near Cap de Trois Fourches Oriental.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

38 people were known to be on board, 38 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 34, passenger fatalities: 34, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Málaga-Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, the crew initiated the descent to Melilla Airport in marginal weather conditions. After being cleared to descend to 7,000 feet from Sevilla ATC, the crew contacted Melilla Tower and was cleared to descend to 5,000 feet. Melilla Tower then reported that runway 33 was in use and reported wind at 270° at 5 knots, visibility 8 km with few clouds at 1,000 feet. At 0645LT the copilot reported that they were at 22 nm at an altitude of 3,000 feet. From this point, the crew descended below the minimum safe altitude of 4,000 feet and crossed the coast line in limited visibility due to low clouds. At 0749 and 52 seconds, the GPWS alarm sounded twice in the cockpit. Few seconds later, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Cap de Trois Fourche. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 38 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration EC-GEO, MSN E1007, year of manufacture 1983.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.4380°, -2.9631°.