Narrative:
ADC flight 018 was a scheduled flight from Banjul, Gambia (BJL) via Freetown, Sierra Leone (FNA) to Monrovia, Liberia (MLW)).
The DC-9 took off from Lungi International Airport at about 12:20 and approached Monrovia at about 12:50. A visual approach was carried out using the GPS as a guide. The aircraft was aligned with the runway centre line at about 8nm out. According to the pilot-in-command, the aircraft broke cloud at about 1000 feet and the Oil Refinery and the fuel dump, were positively identified at 5nm. When the aircraft was about 4nm away from the threshold of runway 23, it had descended to 400ft which was the MDA. The runway was sighted at about 2.5nm, the aircraft crossed the threshold at a slightly high altitude of about 150ft.
A hard touch down was made at about 3000ft from the threshold. The spoilers were said to have deployed automatically and the pilots applied full brakes with reverse thrusts on both engines. The aircraft crossed the runway end at a speed of about 80 kts. Due to a sharp depression at the end of the runway, the aircraft entered the seven foot depression, with a great shock before a final stop at 390 feet.
All occupants were successfully evacuated with few minor injuries. The aircraft burnt out due to the lack of fire fighting equipment.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The probable cause of the accident lies in the decision of the commander to continue to land the aeroplane in a situation that clearly calls for a missed approach.
The contributory factors are the excessive height and speed over the threshold of the runway and, the subsequent high rate of descent to touchdown."
» ICAO Adrep 1/95 (#129)
» Scramble 184
accident date: 18-08-1994
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
registration: 5N-BBE
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 18 August 1994 |
| Time: | 10:58 |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 |
| Operator: | ADC Airlines |
| Registration: | 5N-BBE |
| MSN: | 45872/345 |
| First flight: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 62484 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 11 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 74 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 85 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Monrovia-Sprigg Payne Airport (MLW) ( Liberia)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 8 m (26 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Freetown-Lungi International Airport (FNA/GFLL), Sierra Leone |
| Monrovia-Sprigg Payne Airport (MLW/GLMR), Liberia | |
| Flightnumber: | 018 |
ADC flight 018 was a scheduled flight from Banjul, Gambia (BJL) via Freetown, Sierra Leone (FNA) to Monrovia, Liberia (MLW)).
The DC-9 took off from Lungi International Airport at about 12:20 and approached Monrovia at about 12:50. A visual approach was carried out using the GPS as a guide. The aircraft was aligned with the runway centre line at about 8nm out. According to the pilot-in-command, the aircraft broke cloud at about 1000 feet and the Oil Refinery and the fuel dump, were positively identified at 5nm. When the aircraft was about 4nm away from the threshold of runway 23, it had descended to 400ft which was the MDA. The runway was sighted at about 2.5nm, the aircraft crossed the threshold at a slightly high altitude of about 150ft.
A hard touch down was made at about 3000ft from the threshold. The spoilers were said to have deployed automatically and the pilots applied full brakes with reverse thrusts on both engines. The aircraft crossed the runway end at a speed of about 80 kts. Due to a sharp depression at the end of the runway, the aircraft entered the seven foot depression, with a great shock before a final stop at 390 feet.
All occupants were successfully evacuated with few minor injuries. The aircraft burnt out due to the lack of fire fighting equipment.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The probable cause of the accident lies in the decision of the commander to continue to land the aeroplane in a situation that clearly calls for a missed approach.
The contributory factors are the excessive height and speed over the threshold of the runway and, the subsequent high rate of descent to touchdown."
Classification:
Runway excursion
Sources:
» Flight International 31 August- 6 September 1994 (18)» ICAO Adrep 1/95 (#129)
» Scramble 184
Follow-up / safety actions
Min of Transport Liberia issued 4 Safety Recommendations
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Photos
accident date: 18-08-1994
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
registration: 5N-BBE
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 Freetown-Lungi International Airport to Monrovia-Sprigg Payne Airport as the crow flies is 371 km (232 miles).
Distance from Freetown-Lungi International Airport to Monrovia-Sprigg Payne Airport as the crow flies is 371 km (232 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.
languages: 
Liberia
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