Mombasa – Nairobi

The pilot John de Winton Tharp was performing a cargo flight from Mombasa to Nairobi. En route, weather conditions worsened. In rain falls, he decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames about 8 km north of Arusha. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and the sole occupant was killed.

Flight / Schedule

Mombasa – Nairobi

Aircraft

Avro 652 Anson

Registration

VP-KHT

Date

July 20, 1951 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Crash Location

Arusha Arusha Region

Region

Africa • Tanzania

Coordinates

-2.8901°, 36.5364°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On July 20, 1951 at 12:00 AM, Mombasa – Nairobi experienced a crash involving Avro 652 Anson, operated by Airwork East Africa, with the event recorded near Arusha Arusha Region.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot John de Winton Tharp was performing a cargo flight from Mombasa to Nairobi. En route, weather conditions worsened. In rain falls, he decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames about 8 km north of Arusha. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and the sole occupant was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration VP-KHT.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -2.8901°, 36.5364°.

Fatalities

Total

1

Crew

1

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The pilot John de Winton Tharp was performing a cargo flight from Mombasa to Nairobi. En route, weather conditions worsened. In rain falls, he decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames about 8 km north of Arusha. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and the sole occupant was killed.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Mombasa – Nairobi

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Region / Country

Africa • Tanzania

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Avro 652 Anson

Registration

VP-KHT

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