FlightFinder
Check my flight
No fatalities

Aircraft Overrun and Fire at Asmara-Yohannes IV Airport (ET-AAY)

Asmara, EritreaLanding (descent or approach)

On March 12, 1970, a Douglas DC-6 (registration ET-AAY) operated by Ethiopian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Asmara, Eritrea during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew failed to use the thrust reverser systems after touchdown. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered ET-AAY
Aircraft registered ET-AAY. Photo: Ken Fielding / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A four-engine aircraft overran the runway at Asmara-Yohannes IV Airport after landing, losing its undercarriage and catching fire. All four occupants escaped uninjured, but the aircraft was destroyed.

Incident Overview and Outcome A four-engine aircraft experienced a runway overrun after landing at Asmara-Yohannes IV Airport. The aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining runway distance, resulting in the loss of its undercarriage. The aircraft subsequently came to rest in flames and was destroyed. All four occupants on board escaped the incident without injury. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the crew failed to use the thrust reverser systems after touchdown. This failure to deploy the thrust reversers was identified as the probable cause of the aircraft's inability to stop within the available runway distance.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses