Overview
A cargo flight en route from Rotterdam to Port Harcourt, with intermediate stops at Palma de Majorca, Tamanrasset, and Fort Lamy, conducted an emergency belly landing in a prairie in Cameroon after all four engines lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The flight was carrying a load of 3,600 machine guns intended for the Biafra Government.
Flight Details
The crew was unable to obtain official documentation from Dutch authorities for export to Africa. Consequently, the flight departed from Rotterdam to Birmingham, United Kingdom, before continuing to Spain. While cruising over Cameroon, the crew lost their orientation and could not determine their position with certainty.
Incident
Due to fuel exhaustion, all four engines stopped. The captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. A belly landing was executed in a prairie. Upon contact with the ground, the airplane broke into four pieces before coming to rest. All four crew members were rescued.
Contributing Factors
It was reported that the crew failed to obtain the appropriate charts for flying over West Africa.