What happened
On a late afternoon flight, a BAe 125 departed from Ouagadougou Airport, traveling to Dakar-Léopold Sédar Senghor Airport. The aircraft was performing an ambulance mission, carrying one patient, one doctor, two nurses, and three crew members. After establishing communication with Dakar Control, the flight crew received clearance to fly at FL340, a level they confirmed at 1801LT. However, the aircraft subsequently climbed past the assigned altitude to FL350.
At 1812LT, the BAe 125 collided with a Boeing 737-8FB operated by Ceiba Intercontinental. The Boeing 737, registered 3C-LLY, was performing flight CEL071 from Dakar to Cotonou and Malabo, carrying 104 passengers and 8 crew members. Following the impact, the BAe 125 entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 111 km from Dakar.
The pilot of the 3C-LLY notified air traffic control of the potential collision. While the Boeing 737 continued its route to Malabo without further incident, the aircraft sustained damage, specifically the loss of the top portion of its right winglet. Search and rescue efforts for the BAe 125 were conducted for one week before being suspended. No wreckage or remains of the 7 fatalities on the BAe 125 were ever recovered.
Findings
- The crew of the BAe 125 climbed above their assigned altitude of FL340, reaching FL350 before the collision occurred.