Status:	Definitief
Datum:	20 NOV 1974
Tijd:	07:54
Type:	Boeing 747-130
Luchtvaartmaatschappij:	Lufthansa
Registratie:	D-ABYB
Constructienummer:	19747/29
Bouwjaar:	1970-03-30 (4 years 8 months)
Aantal vlieguren:	16781
Motoren:	4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7
Bemanning:	slachtoffers: 4 / inzittenden: 17
Passagiers:	slachtoffers: 55 / inzittenden: 140
Totaal:	slachtoffers: 59 / inzittenden: 157
Schade:	Afgeschreven
Gevolgen:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Plaats:	Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) (Kenia)
Fase:	Start (TOF)
Soort vlucht:	Internationale lijnvlucht
Vliegveld van vertrek:	Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO/HKNA), Kenia
Vliegveld van aankomst:	Johannesburg International Airport (JNB/FAJS), Zuid-Afrika
Vluchtnummer:	540

Beschrijving:
Boeing 747 D-ABYB was taking off for the last leg of the Frankfurt (FRA) - Nairobi (NBO) - Johannesburg (JNB) flight when the crew felt vibration or buffeting following lift off. The captain, suspecting wheel imbalance, raised the gear. A lack of acceleration forced the crew to lower the nose in order to maintain airspeed. The Boeing continued to descend however and contacted the ground 1120m past the end of runway 24 and struck an elevated road 114m further on. The aircraft broke up and caught fire before coming to rest 454m past the initial point of impact.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the crew initiating a take-off with the leading edge flaps retracted because the pneumatic system which operates them had not been switched on. This resulted in the aircraft becoming airborne in a partially stalled condition which the pilots did not identify in the short time available to them for recovery. Major contributory factors were the lack of warning of a critical condition of leading edge flap position and the failure of the crew to complete satisfactorily their checklist items."

Bronnen:
» Flight International 28.08.1976 (481)
» ICAO Circular 132-AN/93 (181-194)