What happened
On the morning of the accident, an aircraft arrived at Lilongwe-Kamuzu Airport with three crew members. The mission was to transport the Vice President of the Republic of Malawi and five passengers to Mzuzu. After refueling, the flight departed from runway 14 at 0916 hrs. On board were three crew members and six passengers, including the Vice President.
During the initial climb, the aircraft performed a left-hand turn before settling into a northern heading. The crew requested to maintain an altitude of 7,000 ft AMSL, eventually reaching approximately 7,300 ft according to GPS data. As the flight progressed toward Mzuzu, the aircraft's flight path became increasingly erratic. GPS records indicate the plane began deviating near the village of Fumbawowa at 0950 hrs, performing several large left-hand turns and significant altitude fluctuations.
Between 1006 hrs and 1009 hrs, the aircraft was observed flying at extremely low altitudes, ranging between 200 ft and 500 ft AGL, while executing two full left turns near Chikangawa City. Despite the flight crew reporting they were 20 NM from Mzuzu at 1012 hrs, subsequent radio contact attempts by the Mzuzu Flight Information Officer went unanswered. At 1016 hrs, the aircraft impacted the ground while flying on a track of 284°. The impact resulted in nine fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
- The crew operated the aircraft into instrument meteorological conditions while flying under visual flight rules.
- The aircraft collided with ascending terrain.
- The decision to proceed to the destination at a low altitude despite marginal weather was a contributing factor.
- A lack of situational awareness and inadequate preflight preparation also contributed to the accident.