No fatalities

Runway Hole Causes Landing Gear Collapse During Landing (F-BGSC)

Dakar-Yoff, SenegalLanding (descent or approach)

On June 25, 1953, a De Havilland DH.106 Comet (registration F-BGSC) operated by Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT was involved in an aviation accident near Dakar-Yoff, Senegal during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Undercarriage collapsed while contacting a hole in the runway surface. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A new aircraft was damaged beyond repair after its main landing gear struck a hole in the runway, causing the gear leg to break. The aircraft slid and overran the runway; no casualties occurred.

Incident Overview

A flight and approach proceeded without incident before the pilot-in-command executed a proper landing and initiated braking. During the braking sequence, one of the main landing gear assemblies contacted a hole present in the runway surface.

Sequence of Events

The impact with the hole caused the landing gear leg to fracture, leading to the collapse of the undercarriage. The aircraft then settled onto its belly and slid for a distance before overrunning the runway end. It came to rest approximately 40 meters beyond the runway threshold.

Aircraft Damage

The aircraft, which had been delivered new only a few weeks prior to the accident, sustained such extensive damage that it was considered beyond economical repair. There were no casualties among the occupants.

Probable Cause

The official finding attributes the accident to an undercarriage collapse upon contacting a hole in the runway surface.