What happened
A cargo operation traveling from London to Lusaka via Athens and Nairobi was conducting its arrival sequence at Lusaka when a structural failure occurred. After an unremarkable flight segment from Nairobi, the crew received instructions to descend through various altitudes in 1,000-foot increments. By 09:28, the co-pilot confirmed that the airfield was visible. The aircraft was subsequently cleared to descend to 6,000 feet and authorized for a visual approach toward runway 10.
At approximately 09:32, the crew configured the aircraft type with flaps set to 50°. However, at 09:33, the entire right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly detached from the airframe while in flight. This separation caused an immediate and violent nose-down pitch, sending the plane into a vertical dive from an altitude of roughly 800 feet. The impact occurred approximately 3,660 meters from the runway threshold. The crash resulted in six fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary reason for the accident was a loss of pitch control following the separation of the right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly. This structural failure was driven by metal fatigue combined with an inadequate failsafe design within the rear spar structure. Additionally, investigators identified deficiencies in the processes used for design assessment, certification, and inspection as contributing factors to the event.