On September 26, 2007, a Cessna 406 Caravan (registration ZS-SSD) operated by Fugro Airborne Surveys was involved in an aviation accident near Entebbe, Uganda during takeoff. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: In-flight loss of control due to loss of airspeed and subsequent stall of the aircraft at low altitude. Investigations determined that the rudder trim was set to the full left at the time of the accident as opposed to the normal (central) takeoff setting. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A twin-engine aircraft conducting a geophysical survey crashed shortly after takeoff from Entebbe Airport, killing both occupants. The probable cause was loss of control due to a stall at low altitude with the rudder trim set to full left.
Accident Overview
A twin-engine aircraft operating a geophysical survey flight for the government of Uganda crashed shortly after takeoff from Entebbe Airport. The flight was scheduled between Entebbe and Masindi. The aircraft departed from runway 17 and, while climbing to approximately 1,500 meters, entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted an open field. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be an in-flight loss of control due to a loss of airspeed, leading to a stall at low altitude. During the investigation, it was discovered that the rudder trim was set to the full left position at the time of the accident, contrary to the normal (central) takeoff setting.
