Aircraft Crash at Tidjikdja Airport During Sandstorm (5T-CLF)

Incident Overview and Sequence of Events During the approach to Tidjikdja Airport, the flight crew encountered poor visibility caused by a sandstorm. The captain initiated a go-around after failing to establish visual contact with the runway. Minutes later, the crew attempted a second approach despite the weather conditions not improving. At approximately 25 meters above the airfield, the aircraft nosed down and struck the runway surface violently. The impact tore off the undercarriage, and the aircraft veered off the runway before colliding with rocks and bursting into flames. Thirteen passengers were rescued, while 80 other occupants were killed. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the approach was completed below weather minima. The crew continued the descent without establishing visual contact with the ground and runway. At the time of the accident, both visibility and the Runway Visual Range (RVR) were below minimums. The investigation concluded that, considering the situation, the crew should have diverted to another suitable airport.