On August 31, 1993, a Cessna 406 Caravan (registration F-GJLH) operated by J. G. Abdi was involved in an aviation accident near Nairobi-Wilson, Kenya during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the front cargo door to remain secured during the initial climb phase led to an emergency landing and subsequent runway overrun. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A cargo flight departing from Nairobi-Wilson Airport experienced a structural failure of the front cargo door during its initial climb, leading to a runway excursion.
What happened
During a cargo operation departing from Nairobi-Wilson Airport, an incident occurred during the initial climb phase of the flight. While the aircraft was ascending, the front cargo door became unlatched and opened. In response to the emergency, the pilot performed an immediate return to the airfield to attempt an emergency landing.
Upon returning to the airport, the pilot utilized the runway for the landing; however, the aircraft could not be brought to a halt within the available runway length. This resulted in the aircraft overrunning the runway surface before finally coming to a stop. There were no fatalities or injuries reported, as the pilot was the only person on board during the flight. The aircraft sustained damage that was determined to be beyond repair.
Findings
The primary factor in the runway excursion was the unintended opening of the front cargo door during the climb phase, which necessitated an emergency landing procedure.
Probable cause
The failure of the front cargo door to remain secured during the initial climb phase led to an emergency landing and subsequent runway overrun.