Accident description
Last updated: 18 June 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 29 MAR 1953 |
| Type: | Vickers 616 Viking 1B |
| Operator: | Central African Airways |
| Registration: | VP-YEY |
| C/n / msn: | 168 |
| First flight: | 1947 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Mkwaya (Tanzania)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Blantyre-Chileka Airport (BLZ/FWCL), Malawi |
| Dar Es Salaam International Airport (DAR/HTDA), Tanzania |
The Viking, named "Shangani", disintegrated in flight after encountering a sudden gust of wind. It appeared that the type of grease used when fitting press fit bolts to the booms had caused corrosion nodes, thus weakening the lower starboard boom at the outboard bolt hole. The gust of wind caused a fracture of this boom outboard of Station 141, followed by the complete disintegration of the aircraft.
Events:
Sources:
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Blantyre-Chileka Airport to Dar Es Salaam International Airport as the crow flies is 1077 km (673 miles).
Distance from Blantyre-Chileka Airport to Dar Es Salaam International Airport as the crow flies is 1077 km (673 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
