What happened
A flight transporting a group of tourists from Dar es Salaam to the Selous Game Reserve ended in an accident upon arrival at the Matambode airstrip. The passengers, which included several adults and children, had arranged the trip through a safari company. After arriving at the airport, the group was met by a pilot from DJB Ltd. The aircraft, a Piper PA31-310 Navajo, departed from Julius Nyerere International Airport at 0825 hours, cruising at FL 65.
Upon approaching the destination, the pilot performed low passes over the runway to inspect the surface and check for wildlife. During the landing attempt on runway 28, the aircraft touched down approximately 250 meters past the usable portion of the strip. As the pilot applied brakes, it became apparent that the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop. In an attempt to abort the landing, the pilot initiated a go-around by increasing power. However, the aircraft failed to gain airspeed and continued flying level at full power. The plane clipped treetops for roughly 200 meters beyond the runway end before the starboard wing struck a large tree, causing the aircraft to rotate 180 degrees.
Following the impact, the wreckage caught fire. While all passengers were evacuated, the fire destroyed most of the plane, leaving only the tail fin and engine components. The accident resulted in one fatality and two serious injuries, with the remaining passengers sustaining minor wounds.
Findings
- The pilot attempted a go-around despite insufficient runway length to regain necessary takeoff speed.
- The pilot had not visited the specific airfield for an extended period and relied on outdated information regarding the runway's condition.
- The aircraft's failure to accelerate during the missed approach led to the collision with trees.