Narrative:
The Vickers Viscount plane was being operated on CAA's Zambezi service from Salisbury, Rhodesia to London, U.K. The aircraft departed Salisbury at 07:13, August 8. En route stops were Ndola, Entebbe, Khartoum and Wadi Halfa. After refueling, the flight left Wadi Halfa for Benina at 21:20. At 01:12 the crew were cleared into the Benina Control Zone. A direct runway 33R approach permission was requested and granted. At 01:15, some 20-30 seconds after obtaining this permission, the aircraft struck high ground, 5,5 miles SE of the runway.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "When making an approach to runway 330deg Right and whilst flying in cloud, the pilot descended below the correct height thus permitting the aircraft to strike high ground. The reason why the pilot descended so low, 5,5miles from the aerodrome, cannot be established, but the probable cause is that he misinterpreted the reading of his altimeter. The possibility that his efficiency had been reduced by fatigue and a slight indisposition cannot be excluded."
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (171-178)
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 9 August 1958 |
| Time: | 01:14 |
| Type: |  Vickers 748D Viscount |
| Operator: | Central African Airways |
| Registration: | VP-YNE |
| MSN: | 102 |
| First flight: | 1956-07-07 (2 years 1 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Dart 510 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 7 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 32 / Occupants: 47 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 36 / Occupants: 54 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 9 km (5.6 mls) SE of Benghazi-Benina International Airport (BEN) ( Libya)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Wadi Halfa Airport (WHF/HSSW), Sudan |
| Benghazi-Benina International Airport (BEN/HLLB), Libya | |
| Flightnumber: | CE890 |
The Vickers Viscount plane was being operated on CAA's Zambezi service from Salisbury, Rhodesia to London, U.K. The aircraft departed Salisbury at 07:13, August 8. En route stops were Ndola, Entebbe, Khartoum and Wadi Halfa. After refueling, the flight left Wadi Halfa for Benina at 21:20. At 01:12 the crew were cleared into the Benina Control Zone. A direct runway 33R approach permission was requested and granted. At 01:15, some 20-30 seconds after obtaining this permission, the aircraft struck high ground, 5,5 miles SE of the runway.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "When making an approach to runway 330deg Right and whilst flying in cloud, the pilot descended below the correct height thus permitting the aircraft to strike high ground. The reason why the pilot descended so low, 5,5miles from the aerodrome, cannot be established, but the probable cause is that he misinterpreted the reading of his altimeter. The possibility that his efficiency had been reduced by fatigue and a slight indisposition cannot be excluded."
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
Sources:
» Evening Times 9 Aug 1958» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (171-178)
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 Wadi Halfa Airport to Benghazi-Benina International Airport as the crow flies is 1583 km (989 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Wadi Halfa Airport to Benghazi-Benina International Airport as the crow flies is 1583 km (989 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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.
languages: 
Libya
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Vickers Viscount
- 445 built
- 14th loss
- 7th fatal accident
- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 21st worst accident (currently)
Libya- The worst accident (at the time)
- 5th worst accident (currently)
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