Cessna 404 Titan II crash on Mount Meru

12 fatalities • Mt Meru, Tanzania • Flight

A mid-morning charter flight involving two aircraft crashed into the slopes of Mount Meru, resulting in the deaths of all twelve people on board the second plane.

What happened

In the mid-morning, two Cessna 404 Titan II aircraft, operated by Northern Air, departed from Seronera Lodge. The mission was a charter flight intended to transport 18 passengers from the United States and two crew members to Kilimanjaro Airport, where the travelers were scheduled to connect to an Air Kenya flight bound for Nairobi.

During the flight, the pilot of the lead aircraft alerted the pilot of the following aircraft regarding poor visibility conditions in the region. While maintaining an altitude of 8,770 feet amidst marginal weather, the second aircraft collided with the southern slope of Mount Meru, which reaches an elevation of 4,565 meters.

Search efforts located the wreckage the next day at an altitude of 2,833 meters. The impact of the collision caused the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 12 fatalities among the occupants of the second plane, including both the pilot and the eleven passengers on board.

Findings

  • The aircraft was operating in marginal weather conditions with limited visibility.
  • The second aircraft struck the terrain while in the cruise phase of flight.

Probable cause

The second aircraft collided with the mountain slope while flying in poor visibility conditions.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1999-09-01 Cessna 404 Titan accident near Mt Meru, Tanzania?

A mid-morning charter flight involving two aircraft crashed into the slopes of Mount Meru, resulting in the deaths of all twelve people on board the second plane.

Were there any fatalities in the 1999-09-01 Cessna 404 Titan accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 12 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1999-09-01 involved a Cessna 404 Titan, registration 5H-NAT, operated by Northern Air, at Mt Meru, Tanzania.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The second aircraft collided with the mountain slope while flying in poor visibility conditions.

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