What happened
On 28 June 2004, an aircraft was prepared for flight at Polokwane Airport in South Africa, where it was loaded with 1750 litres of Jet A1 fuel. Following this, the aircraft traveled to São Sebastião, located near Vilanculos, Mozambique. Later that same day, the crew initiated a non-scheduled flight intended to transport an injured individual to a medical facility.
During the departure from São Sebastião toward Vilanculos Airport, the crew attempted to depart using only 870 feet (265 m) of the available runway. The aircraft was unable to achieve flight and subsequently overran the runway surface. During the excursion, the aircraft struck a sandbank, a perimeter fence, and several trees, which led to a post-crash fire.
Findings
An analysis of the takeoff performance data from the Pilot Operating Handbook indicated that the required ground roll distance for the aircraft would have been 2000 feet (610 m) when using 40° flaps, or 2100 feet (640 m) without flaps. Therefore, the insufficient runway length used during the takeoff attempt was a critical factor in the accident.