What happened
During a nighttime flight originating from Douala, the crew began their approach toward Yaoundé-Nsimalen Airport amidst challenging weather. Due to limited visibility, the crew could not identify the runway on their initial attempt and performed a go-around. Over the course of the following hour, the crew made four additional attempts to land without success.
Ultimately, the captain decided to proceed with a landing despite the ongoing difficult conditions. During the final approach, the aircraft maintained an excessive altitude and touched down too far along the wet runway surface, approximately 400 meters from the threshold. Because of the remaining distance, the aircraft was unable to decelerate sufficiently, resulting in an overrun that ended in a ditch. The accident resulted in three fatalities, including both pilots and one passenger.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the crew utilized an incorrect approach configuration as a primary factor. Additionally, the lack of visibility and the presence of a wet runway surface, which led to poor braking performance, were noted as contributing elements to the crash.