What happened
A cargo operation originating from Paris-Orly Airport was conducting its descent toward Douala Airport under challenging weather conditions. During the short final phase of the approach, the aircraft encountered low-level windshear. This atmospheric disturbance led to a loss of control, causing the plane to bank sharply to the left and strike the runway surface with its left wing.
The force of the impact resulted in the separation of the left main landing gear along with both engine number 1 and engine number 2. Following the initial contact with the runway, the aircraft veered toward the left side of the strip, performed a 270-degree turn, and eventually came to a stop. While the airframe sustained heavy damage, including a partially torn left wing, the aircraft was declared a total loss.
All three crew members on board managed to exit the wreckage and survived the event with only minor injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor in the accident was the encounter with low-level windshear during the final approach, which prevented the crew from maintaining stable flight parameters.