The death of Samora Machel
On Sunday 19 October Mozambican President Samora Machel’s plane crashed at Mbuzini, near Komatipoort, South Africa, killing the President and 33 other passengers. An investigation of the incident revealed that when returning from a meeting of the Frontline States in Mbala, Zambia, Machel’s plane had turned eight minutes too early and thus missed Maputo airport’s guidance signals.
Upon receiving abnormal instrument readings the crew reported that their system was faulty and were cleared for a visual landing. The plane thus began to descend at 470 feet per minute in an attempt to gain visual contact with the airport, and while the pilot held a confused conversation with the air-traffic controller they crashed into the mountains along the border with South Africa.
An international inquiry into the incident by the Margo Commission reported that the crew was qualified to fly the aircraft, the craft was properly maintained, the radio navigational aids were operating satisfactorily, the weather was not a factor, runway lights at Maputo airport were operating normally, and the crew had not suffered disability prior to landing. However, the Commission found that procedures were not followed correctly during the descent and thus placed blame for the accident on the Russian crew.
David Alexander Robinson
in «A Case of Assassination? President Samora Machel and the plane crash at Mubuzini»
Diretor
Censura
