What happened
While operating a mission for the French Government, an aircraft traveling from Yaoundé to Paris encountered significant meteorological difficulties. The flight, which included high-ranking officials and their families, was cruising southeast of Ouagadougan when the crew encountered adverse weather conditions. During this period, the flight crew reported to ground controllers that they had lost their orientation.
In an effort to reach safety, the captain initiated an emergency descent and attempted to land the aircraft type in a desert area situated approximately 140 km southeast of Ouagadougou, near Tenkodogo. The landing resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair. All 13 occupants survived the incident with various injuries but were successfully rescued by emergency responders.
Findings
- The crew encountered poor weather conditions during the cruise phase of the flight.
- The loss of spatial orientation contributed to the necessity of the emergency landing.