On August 13, 2008, a Fokker F27 Friendship (registration 5Y-BVF) operated by Fly540 was involved in an aviation accident near K50 (Lambar 50), Somalia during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck a communication tower during a night approach due to a loss of visual contact with the runway caused by fog. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A cargo flight operating between Nairobi and Mogadishu crashed during a night approach due to heavy fog, resulting in three fatalities.
What happened
A cargo flight departed from Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta Airport, destined for the K50 Airstrip located approximately 35 km southwest of Mogadishu. The aircraft was transporting 5.4 tons of khat and was operated by a crew of three.
During the night approach to the destination, the crew encountered dense fog that prevented them from establishing visual contact with the runway. In response to the low visibility, the captain performed a go-around procedure. While attempting a second approach, the aircraft descended too low and struck a 60-meter-tall communication antenna. The impact caused the plane to crash roughly 2 km from the airstrip. The accident resulted in three fatalities, with no survivors among the crew.
Findings
The primary factor in the accident was heavy fog which obscured the runway and led to the aircraft's descent into a communication tower during the second landing attempt.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck a communication tower during a night approach due to a loss of visual contact with the runway caused by fog.