What happened
During the final approach to Malakal Airport, the aircraft descended below the required altitude, resulting in the main landing gear making contact with the ground approximately two meters before reaching the threshold of runway 04. The force of this impact caused both main landing gears to separate from the airframe. Following the structural failure, the plane slid along its underbelly for several hundred meters before eventually coming to a stop in the center of the runway.
The flight was operating without passengers, as the mission involved traveling from Juba to Malakal to collect individuals returning from Sudan. Despite the severity of the impact and the subsequent slide, both pilots were able to exit the wreckage without sustaining any injuries.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the low approach altitude during the final phase of flight, which led to the premature contact of the landing gear with the ground surface.