1977-11-23: Piper PA-31-310 Navajo (C9-ANS) — Textafrica — Chimoio, Mozambique

8 fatalitiesChimoio, MozambiqueLanding (descent or approach)

A twin-engine airplane was destroyed by ground fire during its approach to Chimoio Airport, resulting in the loss of all eight people on board.

What happened

During an approach to Chimoio Airport, a twin-engine airplane was struck by fire from Mozambican military forces. The impact caused the aircraft to crash in flames a few hundred meters before reaching the runway. The accident resulted in eight fatalities, involving five individuals from Portugal and three from Switzerland.

Findings

Investigations into the incident revealed that the flight crew had followed all necessary protocols, including filing and receiving approval for a legitimate flight plan. The destruction of the aircraft was attributed to a lack of coordination between military and civil authorities, which led to the plane being mistakenly targeted by ground forces while on final approach.

Probable cause

The aircraft was accidentally shot down due to insufficient communication between civil aviation and military command structures.