What happened
During a nighttime charter flight operating for Club Mediterranée, an aircraft crashed in a swampy region situated south of Kafountine, approximately 52 km north of the Cap Skirring Airport runway 14. The flight was transporting 53 passengers from France, Belgium, and Switzerland, along with six crew members. During the descent, the crew initiated the maneuver prematurely, leading the aircraft to strike trees before impact. The crash resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and 31 fatalities, which included all six members of the crew.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed several critical issues regarding the aircraft's airworthiness and legal status. The aircraft, which was manufactured in 1952, was being operated under the registration of a previous operator because the Gambian owner company had failed to complete the necessary deregistration and re-registration processes. Consequently, the flight was not compliant with current aviation regulations.
Furthermore, the aircraft was not being maintained according to established procedures. At the time of the accident, at least 16 instruments were non-functional, including a vital altimeter. Additional contributing factors included the crew's lack of familiarity with the local geography and the financial instability of the owning company, which had failed to pay insurance premiums.