Note(s):
Unless otherwise indicated, all times are set in local time, based on a 12-hour clock.
Aircraft Accident/Incident Overview:
The accident aircraft was a Boeing 747-244B Combi. Its first flight occured in 1980 and at the time of the accident the aircraft was 7 years old. Under South African Airways it was registered "ZS-SAS". It was equipped with 4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q engine(s).
Air Accident/Incident Overview:
On the 28th of November, 1987, South African Airways Flight 295 departed from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport, Taipei, Taiwan for Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa with a stopover in Sir S. Ramgoolam International Airport, Plaine Magnien, Mauritius. The flight was suppose to leave at 1:00 PM but was delayed until 2:23 PM due to adverse weather in the area and the late arrival of a connecting flight. On board were 140 passengers and 19 crew members.
The actual time at which the first signs of an emergency could be established, however, at some point shortly before 4:00 AM while cruising 35,000 feet, the fire alarm for the main deck cargo broke the silence in the cockpit. Almost immediately, close to or at least 80 circuit breakers began to pop in the cockpit and someone from the cabin attempted to call the cockpit. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) which was retrieved from the sea bed only capture the initial stages of the emergency before it ceased recording, possibly as a result of the fire affecting the wiring associated with it. The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was not retrieved. The accident aircraft was a "Combi" which is a variant of the aircraft that permits the mixing of passengers and air freight on the main deck according to load factors on any given route and Class B cargo compartment regulations. In addition to its 159 passengers and crew on board the flight was also carrying 6 pallets of cargo on the main deck.
At 3:48 AM, the Captain radioed air-traffic control (ATC) in Mauritius alerting a smoke problem in the aircraft and an emergency descent to 14,000 feet, had commenced. A full emergency was declared by the approach controller. In the cockpit, the flight crew were unable to accurately determine their position when asked by ATC in relation to the airport as it was suffering from a series of system related failures. This made would have made flying extremely difficult for the flight crew. It is unknown how much of "smoke evacuation checklist" was reviewed by the flight crew. It is evident, that fire fighting had occurred and that one of the rear doors had been open to help clear the smoke in the cabin and potentially the cockpit. Between 3:52 AM and 4:01 AM, no communication is exchanged between the approach controller and the flight crew. It is not known what was happening during this period. From 4:01 AM until 4:04 AM, communication resumed and approach instructions were given to the flight for an emergency landing. At 4:07 AM communication from the flight ceases. Mauritius ATC tried to raise the flight for 36 minutes after the last communication from the flight, to no-avail.
The aircraft crashes at 4:07 AM, 248 kilometers from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. All 159 passengers and crew on board, perished.
Investigative Overview:
The accident was investigated by the commission of inquiry, chaired by Judge Cecil Margo, with co-operation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. Rennie Van Zyl, the head Southern African investigator also contributed to the investigation. The final report concluded that fire of unknown origin disable critical systems in the aircraft, making flying difficult. In addition, the aircraft's structure may have weakened, affecting its flight. despite retrieving the wreckage, it could not be determined whether the aircraft suffered an in-flight break up, or crashed in one piece.
Further Readings:
Official Report - [ Ссылка ]
References:
Information: [ Ссылка ]
Photograph: [ Ссылка ]
Air-Traffic Control/Cockpit Voice Recording(s): [ Ссылка ]
