UI ATR 42-320 A2-ABB,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 323656

Date:	Monday 11 October 1999
Time:	07:43
Type:	ATR 42-320
Owner/operator:	Air Botswana
Registration:	A2-ABB
MSN:	101
Year of manufacture:	1988
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PW121
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	UI
Location:	Gaborone-Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) - Botswana
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Illegal Flight
Departure airport:	Gaborone-Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE/FBSK)
Destination airport:	Gaborone-Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE/FBSK)
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
An Air Botswana captain boarded a parked ATR-42 aircraft in the early morning and took off. The captain reported to the controller that he wanted to speak to the president, Air Botswana's general manager, the station commander, central police station and his girlfriend, among others. Because the president was out of the country, arrangements were being made for him to speak to the vice president. Attempts were made to persuade him to land and discuss his concerns with the relevant authorities, but he finally stated he was going to crash into some planes on the apron. After flying for about 2 hours he did two loops and then screamed at 200 knots into Air Botswana's two other ATR-42s parked on the apron.
Airline sources say the pilot had been grounded on medical reasons, refused reinstatement and regrounded until February 2000.
Air Botswana operations were crippled, as the airline only had one plane left - a BAe-146 which was grounded with technical problems.

Sources:

ICAO Adrep
Michel/Scramble
Mmegi/The Reporter

Location

Images:

photo (c) Andy Heape, via Peter Frei; August 1989