ARFF Daily News

Wednesday the 26th of February, 2025

Sudanese army plane crashes, 46 killed including major general

Among those killed was Major General Bahr Ahmed, a senior commander in Khartoum who previously served as the commander of the army across the entire capital, military sources said.

Omdurman

Forty-six people were killed when a Sudanese army plane crashed in a residential area near a military airport in the capital’s twin city Omdurman, the Khartoum state media office said, and military sources said a senior commander was among the dead.

The crash took place late on Tuesday near the Wadi Sayidna military airport in northern Omdurman. The Sudanese army had said several military personnel and civilians were killed in the incident, but did not provide further details.

Military sources said that the plane crash was most likely due to technical reasons. The media office said ten people were also injured.

Among those killed was Major General Bahr Ahmed, a senior commander in Khartoum who previously served as the commander of the army across the entire capital, military sources said.

In a statement released late Tuesday, the Sudanese army, at war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, said the plane crashed during take-off from an air base.

“The injured have been taken to hospital, and firefighting teams managed to contain the blaze at the crash site,” the statement added.

A military source had earlier told AFP that a technical malfunction was behind the crash of the Antonov aircraft.

The crash took place near Wadi Sayidna air base, one of the army’s largest military hubs in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum.

The Karari Resistance Committee, part of a network of volunteers coordinating aid across Sudan, reported that ten bodies and several injured people were brought to Al-Nao hospital in Omdurman.

Witnesses reported damage to several homes in the neighbourhood where the plane came down.

Residents in northern Omdurman reported a loud explosion from the crash, which also caused power outages in several surrounding neighbourhoods.

A witness said the plane was flying southbound from northern Sudan when it crashed near the base.

The incident comes a day after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed responsibility for downing a fighter jet in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.

In a statement sent to the media, the RSF said it shot down a Russian-made Ilyushin plane early on Monday morning, alleging that the plane was destroyed with its crew on board.

The recent escalation follows significant advances by the army in central Sudan and the capital Khartoum in its multi-front offensive against the RSF.

Since April 2023, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy and RSF commander Mohamed Hamadan Dagalo, once allies, have been locked in a brutal power struggle.

The conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, erupted after a rift emerged between Burhan and Dagalo over the future structure of the government.

The conflict has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory, according to the UN.

https://thearabweekly.com/sudanese-army-plane-crashes-46-killed-including-major-general

Updated: Southwest In Near-Collision With Bizjet At Chicago Midway

Challenger 350 taxied onto landing runway.

By Mark Phelps

Southwest Flight 2504 executed a heart-stopping last-second go-around at Chicago Midway Airport (KMDW) this morning to avoid a business jet that taxied onto the landing Runway 31C. The incident occurred at around 9:00 a.m. local time (CST). The Southwest Boeing 737-800 was arriving on a flight from Eppley Airfield (KOMA) in Omaha, Nebraska. You can see the flight record of Flight 2504 here on FlightRadar24.

CNN news video on YouTube (posted below) shows the Boeing on short final to the 6,522-foot runway, Midway’s longest, then initiating the go-around either just before or after the main landing gear touched down. The nosewheel never contacted the surface.

The business jet, a Bombardier Challenger 350 operating as Flexjet 560, can be seen taxiing across Runway 31C on Runway 4L at a 90-degree angle from left to right. ATC audio reveals that the Challenger started its taxi from the West Ramp for a planned takeoff on Runway 22L and was instructed by ground control to hold short of Runway 31C. The crew's initial readback incorrectly said "cross Runway 31C." That was corrected by the ground controller and Flexjet 560 read back the clearance correctly—"hold short of Runway 31C." But the Challenger continued onto the landing runway, prompting the Southwest crew to initiate the aggressive go-around. After climbing out, Southwest 2504 coordinated with Chicago Approach, entered a left-hand pattern and landed safely on Runway 31C.

Flexjet 560 took off from Midway, flew to Knoxville, Tennessee (KTYS); then to Dulles International, Washington (KIAD); and finally on to Northwest Florida Beaches International (KECP), about 72 nautical miles east of Pensacola, landing at around 4 p.m. this afternoon.

The bottom of the MDW Airport Diagram includes the following warning in all capital letters: “Caution: Be alert to runway crossing clearances. Readback of all runway holding instructions is required.”

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/southwest-737-800-executes-emergency-go-around-to-avoid-runway-collision/?MailingID=FLY250225022&utm_campaign=avwebflash&utm_medium=newsletter&oly_enc_id=3681J3205156A2X

NTSB Prelim: Cessna 208

Trees Leading Up To The Main Accident Site Exhibited Chopping And Slicing Features Consistent With Propeller Strikes

Location: Pierson, FL Accident Number: ERA25FA119
Date & Time: February 14, 2025, 18:40 Local Registration: N40EA
Aircraft: Cessna 208 Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Positioning

On February 14, 2025, at 1840 eastern standard time, a Cessna 208, N40EA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pierson, Florida. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.

The non-instrument-rated commercial pilot departed from Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Florida at 1752 and was enroute to Palatka Municipal Airport/Lt. Kay Larkin Field (28J), Palatka, Florida, which was located about 125 nautical miles (nm) to the northnorthwest. The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane for a scheduled skydiving operation the following day.

Preliminary ADS-B data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that shortly after departure, during the initial enroute portion of the flight, the pilot followed Interstate 95 North on a track of about 344°, at an altitude of 1,700 ft mean sea level (msl), for about 50 nm. The pilot turned left to about 270° over the city of Deland, Florida and climbed the airplane to 3,100 ft msl. After passing over the city, the pilot turned right to a ground track of about 024° while continuing to climb to a maximum altitude of 3,300 ft msl; the turn and new direction was about 35° right of the straight line course and 30 nm south of the destination airport (28J).

The reported weather along the route of flight and near the accident site consisted of twilight conditions (dusk), with scattered and overcast clouds between 2,700 to 3,300 ft msl and 7 to 10 miles visibility. At the destination airport, there were few clouds reported at 1,800 ft. 

About 5 nm into the new track, the airplane’s altitude began to steadily decrease, and its vertical speed oscillated between positive and negative values prior to the airplane entering a descending 180° turn to the right. The descent rate increased steadily to greater than -12,000 ft per minute (fpm) until the data ended. The final ADS-B target was on a track of 209° at 400 ft msl (about 370 ft above ground level), and at a groundspeed of 182 kts. 

The airplane impacted a densely wooded swamp at an elevation of 53 ft. The wreckage was scattered along a fan-like pattern from the primary impact point and was oriented on a 279° magnetic heading with a debris field that was about 75 yards long. The initial impact point were the tops of 65-ft-tall trees with associated tree and limb fractures progressively lower to the terrain where the propeller and engine assembly impacted the ground creating a 30-inchdeep crater. The propeller assembly buried into the ground. The main body of the wreckage consisting of the fuselage and cockpit was discovered wrapped around trees. Both wings and the empennage separated during impact and the debris field contained severely fragmented parts consistent with a high energy impact. The accident site and debris field was covered in 2 ft deep water, mud, and densely populated palmetto trees.

The accident site had the strong odor of jet fuel and there was a fuel slick in the water. There was no evidence of a post impact fire observed at the accident site and no evidence of an inflight fire was observed on the airplane wreckage.

About 90% of the airplane was recovered and all flight control surfaces and major components were accounted for at the accident site. Both wings were impact-separated and fragmented. All flight control surfaces were accounted for and impact damaged. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to the severity of the wreckage fragmentation; however, all control cables what were observed exhibited features consistent with tensile overload with a “broom straw” appearance. Clean cuts in the cables were performed by the first responders and the recovery personnel and were indicated with orange paint. No indications of a flight control anomaly were discovered during examination. Aileron trim actuator measurements on the right wing correlated to 13° trailing edge up deflection. The flaps were severely damaged; the flap actuator measured 5.6 inches, consistent with a near 0° flap setting (retracted) at the time of impact.

The empennage separated at impact, about 24 inches forward of the horizontal stabilizers. The inboard portions of the vertical stabilizer, and both horizontal stabilizers remained attached to the aft section of the empennage. The elevators and rudder separated at impact. Measurement of the elevator trim actuators correlated to 10° trailing edge up on the left side and the right side was 15° trailing edge up (nose down trim).

The propeller assembly reduction gearbox was severely damaged and exhibited features consistent with impact and rotational damage. Two of the three propeller blades were discovered in the primary impact crater and both blades completely separated from the hub. The blades were severely deformed with s-bending and exhibited chordwise scraping and gouges on the upper camber of the blades. Both propeller blades were fractured and missing about 10 inches of the tips. An extensive search was conducted, for the missing blade but it was not located. Trees leading up tot he main accident site exhibited chopping and slicing features consistent with propeller strikes as the airplane travelled through the trees.

The engine exhibited severe impact damage and the compressor section was bent 90° from the propeller gearbox. The first stage compressor rotor airfoils and air inlet struts were fractured. The second stage compressor rotor airfoils were bent in the opposite direction of rotation with the compressor stator airfoils bent in the direction of rotation. The first stage planetary gear pins exhibited rubbing damage, and the first stage carrier was scored, and the splined adapter was fractured. All of the damage signatures observed were consistent with engine power at impact.

The cockpit and instrument panel were destroyed, however, the throttle quadrant, although damaged, separated at impact and was discovered relatively intact. The emergency power lever was at the mid travel setting, the power lever was about 55% and the propeller control was about 70% forward. The fuel condition lever was full forward. A review of the pilot’s logbook revealed that he had accumulated about 9,000 total hours of flight experience and over 3,000 hours total turbine-powered airplane flight experience; of which, nearly all were in the Cessna 208.

The wreckage was retained for further investigation.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

65 Years ago today: On 26 February 1960 Alitalia flight 618, a Douglas DC-7, crashed shortly after takeoff from Shannon Airport, Ireland, killing 34 occupants; 18 survived the accident.

Date: Friday 26 February 1960

Time:

Type: Douglas DC-7C

Owner/operator: Alitalia

Registration: I-DUVO

MSN: 45231/945

Year of manufacture: 1958

Engine model: Wright R-3350 (988TC18)

Fatalities: Fatalities: 34 / Occupants: 52

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Accident

Location: Shannon Airport (SNN) -   Ireland

Phase: Initial climb

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Shannon Airport (SNN/EINN)

Destination airport: New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL)

Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:

Alitalia flight 618, a Douglas DC-7, crashed shortly after takeoff from Shannon Airport, Ireland, killing 34 occupants; 18 survived the accident.

Flight AZ618 was a scheduled service from Rome, Italy, to New York, NY, USA, with a refueling stop at Shannon, Ireland.

The flight was being flown under the supervision of a check pilot.

The aircraft, a Douglas DC-7C, arrived at Shannon without incident and after refueling, it was cleared to take off from runway. The weather was clear but dark and partially overcast.

The take-off from runway 05 was normal except that the ground roll was probably slightly prolonged. The landing gear was retracted normally. A turn to the left was begun very shortly after gear retraction when the aircraft had climbed to about 165 ft. Power was reduced from take-off power to alternate climb power (2080 BHP) shortly after the turn had been initiated. The flaps, which had been at either 20° or 10° initially, were not fully retracted prior to power reduction. Following power reduction, the aircraft accelerated instead of climbing and lost height while still turning. The landing lights were on during the flight. The aircraft struck the ground while still in a left turn - the point of impact being 65 ft amsl. The left wing tip made the initial contact. The left propellers (Nos. 1 and 2) and left wing struck the stone wall and grave stones of Clonloghan Church. The tips of No. 3 propeller first struck the wall and then made cuts in the turf. The speed of the aircraft at impact was of the order of 170 - 180 kt.

The aircraft was completely destroyed by impact and subsequent explosion and fire. One steward and seventeen passengers survived the accident.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "No definite evidence leading to a particular reason for this accident was revealed by the investigation. It can only be concluded that the aeroplane lost height in a turn shortly after takeoff and struck the ground."