By Burnett Munthali
The flight began routinely, with the crew informing air traffic control that they would reach reporting point NALSA at 0932 hrs and their final destination at approximately 1005 hrs.
This information was passed along by the controller to the Flight Information Officer stationed at Mzuzu Airport via telephone.
At 0930 hrs, the controller gave the flight crew clearance to switch to the Mzuzu tower frequency of 118.1 MHz.
At that moment, radar contact was not available due to the aircraft’s low cruising altitude.
According to GPS data, at 0932 hrs the aircraft was flying north and located approximately 3 nautical miles west of waypoint NALSA at an altitude of about 7,500 feet.
Five minutes later, at 0937 hrs, the aircraft initiated a climb and within three minutes had reached an altitude of roughly 8,600 feet.
At 0944 hrs, the airplane entered a descent phase once again.
By 0950 hrs, about 1.5 nautical miles northwest of the village of Fumbawowa, the aircraft deviated from its direct route to Mzuzu by making a left-hand turn.
At 0952 hrs, during this turn, the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 5,500 feet and began climbing once more.
After concluding the left-hand turn with a course of about 150°, the aircraft turned right toward the west and reached 8,100 feet by 0955 hrs.
Immediately after, the aircraft began descending again.
Continuing on a track of about 150°, the airplane turned left once more, then made a right turn toward the west.
At 0956 hrs, the aircraft performed a full left turn and proceeded in a south-western direction.
By 0958 hrs, it had flown past the settlement of Bokosi Kunga.
At 0959 hrs, the aircraft initiated a right-hand turn and within a minute adopted an eastern heading, before shifting to a north-eastern direction.
Its altitude dropped to approximately 5,400 feet, roughly 460 feet above ground level.
Around 2 nautical miles south of a wood industry plant, the aircraft made a climbing left turn toward the north.
Between 1006 hrs and 1009 hrs, the airplane performed two full left turns, 3 nautical miles northwest of Chikangawa, with a turning radius of around 600 meters and an altitude between 200 and 500 feet above ground level.
After 1009 hrs, the aircraft continued on various headings in a northeastern direction, descending dangerously to 185 feet above ground level before climbing again.
At 1012 hrs, the airplane was approximately 25 nautical miles southwest of Mzuzu Airport, flying at an altitude of 7,000 feet or about 1,500 feet above ground level.
Two minutes later, it had climbed to approximately 2,200 feet above ground level.
Then, the aircraft changed course toward the north and began descending yet again.
At 1015 hrs, it executed a left turn toward the northwest.
The aircraft’s final heading was approximately 284°, and at 1016 hrs it crashed in Nthungwa Forest, located in Nkhata Bay.
All nine occupants on board, including three crew members and six passengers, died in the crash.
The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact.
A search mission lasting an entire day was required before the crash site could be located.
The Flight Information Officer at Mzuzu Airport later stated that the airport had been experiencing bad weather which had progressively worsened.
By 0950 hrs, the aircraft had still not established radio contact with the Mzuzu tower, prompting the officer to attempt to reach them via radio.
Five minutes later, he made another unsuccessful attempt.
At 1005 hrs, the officer contacted the Lilongwe Area Control Centre to verify the aircraft’s estimated time of arrival.
At 1012 hrs, the flight crew finally called on the Mzuzu Tower frequency and reported they were 20 nautical miles away, intending to approach from the north.
The Flight Information Officer then provided the current weather conditions and informed the crew that runway 17 was in use.
He also noted that visibility to the east, south, and west of the airport was approximately 5 kilometers.
The flight crew responded that they would divert toward Ekwendeni to evaluate whether weather conditions were better in that area.
At 1017 hrs, the Flight Information Officer attempted to contact the flight crew again to determine their altitude, but received no reply.
Subsequent attempts to reach the aircraft by radio were also unsuccessful.
The final moments of the flight were marked by erratic altitude changes, repeated course deviations, and a growing struggle against poor weather and possible disorientation.
The tragic crash highlights the importance of reliable communication, situational awareness, and accurate weather updates in flight safety.
It also raises questions about whether the crew had full spatial orientation and what support limitations may have existed in the region’s air traffic management system.
The accident stands as a somber reminder of the risks faced in aviation when multiple small challenges culminate into one catastrophic outcome.
