On November 15, 2017, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (registration 5H-EGG) operated by Coastal Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Empakaai Camp, Tanzania in flight. 11 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft flew into hilly terrain while under the control of the pilot during poor weather conditions. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A single-engine charter flight traveling from Arusha to Serengeti National Park crashed into hilly terrain, resulting in no survivors.
What happened
A charter flight operating from Arusha Airport was en route to Serengeti National Park when the accident occurred. The single-engine airplane was transporting a group of ten tourists along with one pilot at the time of the incident.
During the flight, the aircraft encountered marginal weather conditions. While navigating the area, the plane struck hilly terrain in the vicinity of Empakaai Camp. The force of the impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 11 fatalities recorded, as all individuals on board perished in the crash.
Findings
Investigation into the accident determined that the primary factor leading to the crash was controlled flight into terrain.
Probable cause
The aircraft flew into hilly terrain while under the control of the pilot during poor weather conditions.