No fatalities

1981-01-11: Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (ET-AGW) — Ethiopian Airlines — Bahar Dar, Ethiopia

Bahar Dar, EthiopiaLanding (descent or approach)

On January 11, 1981, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration ET-AGW) operated by Ethiopian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Bahar Dar, Ethiopia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collapse of the left main landing gear during touchdown for undetermined reasons. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781223057Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced a structural failure of its left main landing gear during the landing phase, resulting in a runway excursion.

What happened

During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft's left main landing gear suffered a sudden collapse. This mechanical failure caused the plane to lose stability on the runway, leading it to slide along its undercarriage.

The movement continued until the aircraft came to a complete stop. While the incident resulted in significant damage to the airframe, the aircraft was determined to be a total loss and was declared beyond repair.

There were four occupants on board at the time of the accident, consisting of three crew members and one security officer. All individuals successfully evacuated the wreckage and were reported as uninjured following the event.

Findings

Investigations into the incident focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear assembly. The primary factor identified was the failure of the left main gear immediately upon touchdown.

Probable cause

The collapse of the left main landing gear during touchdown for undetermined reasons.