Following a fatal plane crash, Namibian authorities have published a detailed report. It makes it clear why the plane crashed.
Munich/Windhoek – Five people were killed in a plane crash in Namibia in 2022. Among the fatalities was a family of four from Munich. At the end of August last year, they had made their way to Windhoek in a small aircraft from the river island of Impalila when the plane suddenly crashed. Now there are new details about the exact causes of the fatal accident.
Report on the causes of the plane crash in Namibia – "Plane tilted sharply"
The Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) published a detailed accident report in May, listing numerous circumstances that are said to have played a role in the crash. The pilot of the aircraft was 21-year-old Nicole Mienie, who had both a valid pilot's license and sufficient flying experience. Nevertheless, several factors came together as a result of which the small plane eventually crashed on the banks of the Zambezi River.
Above all, a flight maneuver by the pilot immediately after take-off of the aircraft was decisive: "After take-off, the pilot made an early left turn. The plane tilted sharply and turned to the left," authorities explain in the 30-page report. Due to the sharp left turn, the left wing grazed a tree next to the river.
Too much luggage is said to have contributed to the crash of the plane in Namibia
The manoeuvre was also carried out far too slowly. The pilot steered the aircraft into the left-hand bend at the equivalent of about 120 km/h, causing the machine to spin. After that, the plane crashed into the river, where first the right wing, and then the bow of the plane, hit the water.
In addition to the failed left-turn maneuver, the aircraft was also far too heavily loaded. Although the pilot seemed to have had the weight limit in mind – she unloaded two pieces of luggage before departure – there were still too many heavy objects on board, so that the weight limit was exceeded considerably. Measurements showed an overweight of around 34 kilos, which most likely contributed to the crash.
A Cessna plane crashed in Namibia in 2022. Five people died, including a family of five from Bavaria. (Symbolic photo) © Markus Obländer/Imago
New details about plane crash in Namibia – rescuing the family turned out to be difficult
However, the aircraft, a Cessna Centurion, was fully functional, according to the report. "After all the necessary engine tests were carried out, it was determined that the engine met the design specifications before the crash. It is therefore assumed that the engine did not contribute to the accident," the authorities conclude. The weather was also not a determining factor in the fatal accident in Namibia: there was no precipitation and the visibility was clear.
0
Also Read
Rock icon Tina Turner is dead – she died at the age of 83 in Switzerland
READ
Austria's exceptional alpinist falls 60 meters to his death at the Brenner Pass – son has to watch misfortune
READ
Missing Rebecca: New Google data could apparently convict brother-in-law of false testimony
READ
"Zombie drug" rolls over Los Angeles – it causes skin and muscles to rot
READ
Fatal effects of tourism: Natural wonders in Yellowstone Park probably destroyed
READ
Fancy a voyage of discovery?
My Area
The report also shows that rescue operations after the crash of the plane were difficult. It was only after about 40 minutes that locals managed to get to the wreck and saw a hole in the cockpit. By this time, both the pilot and the family of four from Munich were already dead.
After the crash of a plane with a German family: Serious allegations against organizers
Although the pilot completed a total of around 310 flight hours before the plane crash, experienced pilots are now making serious accusations against the safari operator "Scenic Air", which planned the family's vacation, as Bild reports. "An inexperienced pilot, who had only been flying commercially for less than a year, was sent to a runway unknown to her and was not properly briefed," a Cessna pilot reportedly told the tabloid. According to him, there is no question that the tragic accident could have been avoided.
Another family accident on holiday occurred in Mallorca: A father was injured in a swimming accident so badly that the entire family was stuck on the island. (tt)