Event
Shortly after departing from the airport, the aircraft began its initial climb. At that moment, two engines lost power simultaneously and then failed. The flight crew quickly realized the situation and decided to find a suitable location for an emergency landing. As they were maneuvering to identify such a location, a third engine failed. With only partial power remaining, the aircraft stalled, pitched nose-down, and crashed into a swampy area near the airport. The impact and subsequent conditions resulted in the deaths of all 159 individuals on board. The occupants included military personnel from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, along with civilian passengers.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the cause of the engine failures was fuel contamination. Specifically, the fuel was contaminated with water and bacteria. The investigation report stated that it is believed that the engines failed because the fuel was contaminated with water and bacteria. This finding is the officially stated probable cause of the accident.