** Updated info at end of blog **
A de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311Q (Das8) was scheduled to operate a domestic flight in Tanzania, from Kigoma Airport to Tabora Airport. Onboard are 4 crew (2 cockpit crew and 2 cabin crew) and 35 passengers.
The wreckage of the aircraft (source www.baaa-acro.com ©Unknown)
After all flight preparations were completed and the route clearance was received the engines were started. The weather was good with calm winds and visibility over 30 km. with both engines running the aircraft taxied toward the 1767 meters (5300 feet) runway 34. Due to construction works on Runway 34 (resurfacing) the threshold of Runway 34 was displaced by 300 meters, leaving only 1467 meters (4400 feet) of runway length available. As the aircraft accelerated down the runway the crew aborted the take-off due to a failure of the right-hand engine. The appropriate procedures were carried out by the crew and the aircraft decelerated, however, the remaining runway length was not enough and the aircraft left the paved surface of the runway. Once off the runway, the right-hand main landing gear hit a "pothole", causing the right-hand wing to be torn off, just inboard of the righthand nacelle. The aircraft continued for a few meters before coming to a stop. The fligthdeck crew carried out the appropriate checklists to shut the aircraft down while the cabin crew initiated an evacuation of the aircraft. 2 passengers sustained injuries of some degree, while the rest of the occupants escaped without injury. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
The broken-off wing (source www.baaa-acro.com ©Unknown)
Update published 09-Apr-2022 18.05 CET: A reader of the blog (David M.) reached out and provided the following information;
"The event was a rejected takeoff triggered by a takeoff warning horn (caused by an incorrect elevator trim setting) and asymmetrical use of reverse power resulting in a runway excursion. There were many other “crew” factors as well. There was no engine failure"
(Editorial; V2 Aviation - Training & Maintenance has been unable to obtain a report by the Tanzanian authorities, this blog is based on information available from open sources on the internet.)
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