What happened
The crew was operating a transcontinental flight from the United Kingdom to South Africa. The specific route involved a stopover at Tabora Airport. On the day of the incident, the aircraft initially departed Tabora at 0650 local time but encountered cooling system issues shortly after liftoff. The pilots executed a return to the departure airfield, where maintenance crews performed necessary repairs on the cooling system.
Following the repairs, the aircraft attempted a second departure at 1400 local time. Shortly after takeoff, the left engine failed. This mechanical failure caused the aircraft to stall, leading to a crash in an area of acacia trees near the airport perimeter. All five individuals on board sustained injuries, and the airframe was destroyed beyond repair.
Findings
The official investigation identified specific mechanical defects as the root cause. Water was discovered leaking into both the induction and exhaust pipes from the interior of the engine. Additionally, an oily substance was found present in the petrol supply. These internal leaks and contamination contributed directly to the failure of the left engine shortly after the second takeoff attempt.