On November 3, 2009, a Xian MA60 (registration Z-WPJ) operated by Air Zimbabwe was involved in an aviation accident near Harare, Zimbabwe during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control during takeoff following a collision with five warthogs. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Aircraft registered Z-WPJ. Photo: Maarten Visser from Capelle aan den IJssel, Nederland / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
During takeoff roll at Harare Airport, an aircraft collided with five warthogs, tearing off the left main gear. The aircraft veered left off the runway and came to rest. All 38 occupants evacuated safely; the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Incident Overview
On an unspecified date, an aircraft was performing a takeoff roll at Harare Airport. As it was about to lift off, it collided with five warthogs that had entered the runway. The impact tore off the left main landing gear, causing the aircraft to become uncontrollable. It veered off the runway to the left and eventually came to a stop.
Occupant Evacuation
All 38 occupants on board evacuated the aircraft safely. No injuries or fatalities were reported in the source.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the collision and subsequent ground excursion. It was later assessed as damaged beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be a loss of control during takeoff following a collision with five warthogs.
