What happened
A cargo flight destined for Johannesburg, with a scheduled stop in Port Harcourt, was operating with a payload of approximately 60 tons of electronic goods and thirteen people on board, including nine passengers and four crew members. During the night approach to Port Harcourt Airport, the pilot-in-command utilized a non-standard autopilot configuration that deviated from established company procedures. The approach involved tracking a localizer radial while using vertical speed mode for descent.
As the aircraft reached the short final phase of the approach, the crew did not identify that the flight path was at an inadequate altitude. Consequently, the aircraft type struck the ground approximately 700 meters before the runway threshold. The impact caused the undercarriage to be ripped from the airframe, and the plane slid for several dozen meters. The forward section of the aircraft detached and ignited, leading to a fire that partially destroyed the plane. The accident resulted in one fatality, seven injuries, and five individuals who escaped without harm.
Findings
The investigation identified that the pilot-in-command failed to follow standard company procedures by conducting a non-standard autopilot approach using vertical speed mode instead of the prescribed method.