What happened
On 13 December 1999, the aircraft 5H-GTO, a single-engine aircraft, was performing a flight from Zanzibar to Chankonde. After an uneventful arrival, the pilot prepared for a subsequent leg to Dar es Salaam with five passengers on board. During the takeoff roll on runway 07, the pilot applied full power while maintaining heavy braking. As the aircraft accelerated to approximately 65-70 knots, it encountered a muddy ditch, causing a noticeable deceleration.
Realizing the aircraft would not reach takeoff speed to clear the trees at the runway end, the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff. However, due to the wet and slippery sandy surface, the aircraft continued to roll past the end of the runway. The aircraft collided with trees located roughly 60 metres beyond the threshold. The impact caused the outer sections of both wings to separate from the fuselage and ignited a fire.
During the evacuation, the pilot was temporarily pinned by passengers while attempting to exit the cockpit. The pilot sustained first-degree burns to his face and arms, while one passenger suffered a cut to the eyebrow and another sustained minor finger burns. There were zero fatalities among the occupants. Following the crash, the wreckage was subject to vandalism by unknown individuals after being left unattended.
Findings
- The runway surface was wet and slippery due to recent rainfall.
- The aircraft encountered a muddy ditch during the takeoff roll, which impeded acceleration.
- The aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway length due to the lack of traction on the sandy surface.