On 15 July 1960, at 09:04, Ethiopian Air Lines Flight 372, a C-47 Skytrain registered as ET-T-18, took off from Bulki, Ethiopia, on a short-haul flight to Aba Segud Airport, Jimma, Ethiopia. There were eight passengers, three crew and a cargo of coffee on board. At 09:40, the pilot requested the activation of the Jimma non-directional beacon (NDB) to assist his navigation. There was no further contact with the flight. The aircraft was found to have crashed at 9,400 feet into the side of a mountain south of Jimma, killing one of the pilots and leaving the passengers and remaining crew injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Cause

It was determined that the accident was caused by the following: 1. The pilot misjudged the weather conditions, in that he continued to fly into deteriorating weather conditions while trying to maintain visual flight rules. 2. The pilot misjudged the performance capabilities of the aircraft, in that he attempted to climb at a speed below the minimum safe climbing speed of the aircraft.

Ethiopian Air Lines Flight 372

References

372

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1960

Aviation accidents and incidents in Ethiopia

1960 in Ethiopia

July 1960 events in Africa

Accidents and incidents involving the Douglas C-47 Skytrain

1960 disasters in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Air Lines Flight 372