What happened
On 25 December 2003, a scheduled Union des Transports Africains (UTA) flight, operating as GIH 141, was prepared for its second leg from Coton/Cadjèhoun Airport in Benin toward Kufra, Libya. The aircraft, a Boeing 727-223 with registration 3X-GDO, was carrying a full load of 96 passengers and 10 crew members. The boarding and loading process was characterized by significant disorder, involving large amounts of hand luggage and confusion regarding baggage placement in the forward and aft holds. During the loading, the co-pilot expressed concerns to company executives regarding the necessity of verifying the exact weight of the aircraft.
As the flight prepared for departure, the crew configured the aircraft with flaps at 25 degrees and deactivated the air conditioning units. The flight plan was filed, though the associated meteorological documentation was not collected. At approximately 13:58, the aircraft began its takeoff roll. During the acceleration, the co-pilot acted as the pilot flying. As the aircraft reached rotation speeds, the pilot flying applied back pressure on the control column, but the angle of attack increased only slowly.
At 13:59, the aircraft struck a localizer building located on the extended runway centerline. The impact caused the right main landing gear to detach and damaged the right wing flaps. Following the collision, the aircraft banked to the right and crashed onto a nearby beach, subsequently breaking into several pieces and entering the ocean. The accident resulted in multiple fatalities, including a technician working at the localizer building, while several survivors were located among the wreckage and in the water.
Findings
- The takeoff roll was noted by air traffic control as being unusually long.
- The aircraft failed to rotate effectively, with the angle of attack increasing only minimally despite significant control input.
- Significant confusion during the passenger boarding and baggage loading process contributed to an unorganized pre-flight environment.