What happened
During a flight originating from Nampula, the crew encountered difficult weather conditions while approaching Maputo. Air traffic control directed the aircraft into a holding pattern as a result of the deteriorating environment at the destination. After completing two holding circuits, the captain initiated a descent toward the airfield, even though controllers had provided warnings regarding extremely poor visibility and weather.
At the time of the approach, the area was experiencing heavy rainfall, thunderstorm activity, lightning, and turbulence, with visibility further limited by nighttime conditions. While performing the final approach to runway 23, the aircraft was positioned too low and struck the ground before reaching the runway threshold in a slight nose-up orientation. The force of the impact caused the airframe to break into two separate pieces before coming to a stop in a nearby field. There were 17 occupants on board, all of whom survived the event with minor injuries, though the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
- The descent was commenced despite official notification from air traffic control regarding hazardous weather conditions.
- Severe weather, including heavy rain and thunderstorms, significantly reduced visibility and contributed to the flight's instability during the final approach.