No fatalities

Nose gear collapse during landing at Lake Manyara (JW9008)

Lake Manyara, TanzaniaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 31, 1980, an Avro 748 (registration JW9008) operated by Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces was involved in an aviation accident near Lake Manyara, Tanzania during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the nose landing gear upon touchdown caused the aircraft to slide on its nose. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced a nose gear failure upon touchdown at Lake Manyara in 1980, resulting in significant damage but no injuries.

What happened

During an arrival at Lake Manyara in 1980, an unidentified aircraft suffered a structural failure of the nose landing gear immediately upon contact with the runway. Following the collapse of the gear, the aircraft continued forward, sliding on its nose for several dozen meters before the movement ceased.

While the impact resulted in the airframe being declared a total loss due to damage beyond repair, there were zero fatalities and no injuries reported among those on board. The specific date of this occurrence is not recorded in available documentation.

Findings

  • The primary factor in the accident was the collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing phase.

Probable cause

The failure of the nose landing gear upon touchdown caused the aircraft to slide on its nose.