What happened
Following a lengthy delay caused by adverse weather in Freetown, an aircraft was cleared for departure from runway 12/30. During the initial takeoff roll, the captain initiated an aborted takeoff. The aircraft was unable to decelerate sufficiently before reaching the end of the 3,200-meter runway. As a result, the plane overran the pavement and traveled approximately 100 meters into a grassy area. During the excursion, the aircraft sustained heavy damage, including the loss of the right engine and the right main landing gear. The aircraft was subsequently declared a total loss.
Findings
- All 127 occupants were successfully rescued from the wreckage.
- The incident resulted in 50 injuries among the passengers.
- The primary factor in the excursion was the inability to stop the aircraft within the remaining runway distance following the decision to abort the takeoff.