Arusha – Lake Manyara – Klein’s Camp – Grumet – Seronera – Lake Manyara – Arusha

On March 17, 2004 at 06:15 AM, Arusha – Lake Manyara – Klein’s Camp – Grumet – Seronera – Lake Manyara – Arusha experienced a crash involving Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, operated by Regional Air Services, with the event recorded near Lake Manyara Manyara.

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

9 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 9 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: 8, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight starting from its base at Arusha. It was to call at Lake Manyara, Klein’s Camp, Grumet and Seronera before returning to Arusha via Lake Manyara. 5H-MUA took off from Arusha at 0530 hours. It was carrying one pilot and 3 passengers. The VFR flight to Lake Manyara was uneventful and the aircraft landed at Lake Manyara at 0555 hours. Five more passengers joined the flight here and 5H-MUA subsequently took off for Klein’s Camp at 0615 hours. During initial climb, the engine failed. The pilot feathered the propeller and attempted an emergency landing on a road. But he was forced to make an evasive manoeuvre because of a truck. The aircraft lost speed and height, collided with a stone wall beside the road and came tor rest. All nine occupants were rescued, among them five were seriously injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration 5H-MUA, MSN 208B-0487, year of manufacture 1995.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -3.6222°, 35.8065°.