Abidjan – Douala – Nairobi
Flight / Schedule
Abidjan – Douala – Nairobi
Aircraft
Boeing 737-800Registration
5Y-KYA
MSN
35069/2079
Year of Manufacture
2006
Operator
Kenya AirwaysDate
May 5, 2007 at 08:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Douala Littoral
Region
Africa • Cameroon
Coordinates
4.0635°, 9.7017°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On May 5, 2007 at 08:00 AM, Abidjan – Douala – Nairobi experienced a crash involving Boeing 737-800, operated by Kenya Airways, with the event recorded near Douala Littoral.
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.
114 people were known to be on board, 114 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 108, passenger fatalities: 108, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. During the night of 4th May 2007, the B737-800, registration 5Y-KYA, operating as flight KQ507 from Abidjan international Airport, Ivory Coast, to the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi (Kenya), made a scheduled stop-over at the Douala international Airport. The weather was stormy. The aircraft took off and climbed into the dark night. There were no external visual references, yet no instrument scanning was done by the crew. At 1000 feet climbing, the pilot flying released the flight controls for 55 seconds without having engaged the autopilot. The bank angle of the airplane increased continuously by itself very slowly up to 34° right and the captain appeared unaware of the airplane’s changing attitude. Just before the "Bank Angle" warning sounds, the captain grabbed the controls, appeared confused about the attitude of the airplane, and made corrections in an erratic manner increasing the bank angle to 50° right. At about 50° bank angle, the autopilot was engaged and the inclination tended to stabilize; then movements of the flight controls by the pilot resumed and the bank angle increased towards 70° right. A prolonged right rudder input brought the bank angle to beyond 90°. The aircraft descended in a spiral dive until it crashed at approximately 0008LT (May 5) in a mangrove swamp located 5,5 km southeast of Douala Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 114 occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration 5Y-KYA, MSN 35069/2079, year of manufacture 2006.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.0635°, 9.7017°.
Fatalities
Total
114
Crew
6
Passengers
108
Other
0
Crash Summary
During the night of 4th May 2007, the B737-800, registration 5Y-KYA, operating as flight KQ507 from Abidjan international Airport, Ivory Coast, to the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi (Kenya), made a scheduled stop-over at the Douala international Airport. The weather was stormy. The aircraft took off and climbed into the dark night. There were no external visual references, yet no instrument scanning was done by the crew. At 1000 feet climbing, the pilot flying released the flight controls for 55 seconds without having engaged the autopilot. The bank angle of the airplane increased continuously by itself very slowly up to 34° right and the captain appeared unaware of the airplane’s changing attitude. Just before the "Bank Angle" warning sounds, the captain grabbed the controls, appeared confused about the attitude of the airplane, and made corrections in an erratic manner increasing the bank angle to 50° right. At about 50° bank angle, the autopilot was engaged and the inclination tended to stabilize; then movements of the flight controls by the pilot resumed and the bank angle increased towards 70° right. A prolonged right rudder input brought the bank angle to beyond 90°. The aircraft descended in a spiral dive until it crashed at approximately 0008LT (May 5) in a mangrove swamp located 5,5 km southeast of Douala Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 114 occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
6
Passengers On Board
108
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 114
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Abidjan – Douala – Nairobi
Operator
Kenya AirwaysFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Africa • Cameroon
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Air France
AAC.1 Toucan
While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain near Eséka. All thirteen occupants were killed. Crew: Louis Coupvent, pilot, Robert Ferrisse, radio navigator, Frank Malaret, mechanic.
Institut Géographique National
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with turbulences. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. All five crew members were killed. It was reported that the pilot may have lost the control of the aircraft when the cargo shifted while flying in severe turbulences.
Air France
Douglas DC-4
The four engine aircraft christened 'Ciel de Savoie' left Douala Airport at 1408LT bound for Niamey. Four minutes after takeoff, the crew modified his route and continued to the northwest at an altitude of 8,500 feet. About twenty minutes later, while flying in good weather conditions but facing the sun, the pilot in command realized he was facing a mountain and immediately made a sharp turn to the left when the left wing hit trees. Out of control, the aircraft crashed on the Mt Cameroon and disintegrated on impact. All 29 occupants were killed. Crew: Jean Chansel, pilot, Jean Gavignet, copilot, Roger Roure, radio navigator, Paul Frederic, mechanic, Lina Cotton, stewardess, Georges Vilard, steward.
Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence - STAAP
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
The crew was engaged in a local test flight after the engine number four was changed. The airplane left N'Gaoundéré Airport at 1250LT. The captain made profit of this flight to improve the skills of the copilot who should be promoted as captain. While cruising in good weather conditions, the aircraft banked left, dove into the ground and crashed about 37 km southwest of N'Gaoundéré. As the airplane failed to come back to its base, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found in an isolated area a day later. All eight occupants have been killed.
Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT
De Havilland DH.114 Heron
The four engine aircraft left Yaoundé at 1658LT four a short flight to Douala, ETA 1730LT. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Koupé (2,064 meters high) located about 80 km north of Douala. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. On 19 February 1956, walkers found the wreckage in a dense wooded area on Mt Koupé.
France Hydro
Latécoère 631
The aircraft was performing a flight from Lake Léré to Douala, carrying eight passengers, a crew of eight and a load of cotton bales. While cruising in a tropical storm, the aircraft encountered thunderstorm activity and severe turbulences when a wing failed. Out of control, the airplane went into a dive and crashed 60 km north of Banyo. The airplane was destroyed and all 16 occupants were killed. This was the last mission for this aircraft and its crew who must fly back to Biscarosse (France) to conduct tests and maintenance. This was also the last Latécoère 631 in service.