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Coordinates: 3°57′04″N 9°44′02″E / 3.951°N 9.734°E / 3.951; 9.734
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The aircraft departed Douala at 23:06 [[GMT]] on 5 May (00:06 on 6 May local time);<ref name="No evidence of mechanical failure on crashed Kenya Airways Boeing 737"/><ref>Final report, p.11</ref> the flight was due to arrive in Nairobi at 03:15 GMT (06:15 local time).<ref name="Investigators trawl swamps for clues on Kenya 737 crash" /><ref name="Kenya Air Jet Goes Down in Cameroon"/><ref name="BBC"/> Contact with the plane was lost soon after takeoff from Douala.<ref name="Kenya Airways Boeing 737 crashes in Cameroon"/> Kenya Airways set up a crisis management center at [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport]] in Nairobi.<ref name="Kenya Airways Boeing 737 crashes in Cameroon"/><ref name="Kenya plane 'crashes in Cameroon'"/>
The aircraft departed Douala at 23:06 [[GMT]] on 5 May (00:06 on 6 May local time);<ref name="No evidence of mechanical failure on crashed Kenya Airways Boeing 737"/><ref>Final report, p.11</ref> the flight was due to arrive in Nairobi at 03:15 GMT (06:15 local time).<ref name="Investigators trawl swamps for clues on Kenya 737 crash" /><ref name="Kenya Air Jet Goes Down in Cameroon"/><ref name="BBC"/> Contact with the plane was lost soon after takeoff from Douala.<ref name="Kenya Airways Boeing 737 crashes in Cameroon"/> Kenya Airways set up a crisis management center at [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport]] in Nairobi.<ref name="Kenya Airways Boeing 737 crashes in Cameroon"/><ref name="Kenya plane 'crashes in Cameroon'"/>


On 7 May, Cameroon's state radio interrupted broadcasts to report that the wreckage of the plane had been found near Mvengue, southwest of the capital [[Yaoundé]], only to say later it could not confirm the report.<ref name="Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors"/> Later that day, Kenya Airways officials reported that the wreckage of the aircraft had been found {{convert|5.42|km}} south (176°) of the end of the airport's runway 12, some {{convert|120|km}} from the site mentioned in the earlier radio broadcasts.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} The wreckage was found on 6 May in a swamp, some {{convert|20|km}} southeast of Douala, submerged under mud and water.<ref name="Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors"/><ref name="Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737"/> There were no survivors.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?storyID=2007-05-06T195822Z_01_L06657609_RTRIDST_0_KENYA-AIR-UPDATE-5-PICTURE-GRAPHIC.XML|title=UPDATE 5-Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors|date=6 May 2007|agency=Reuters}}</ref><ref>Final report, p.15</ref> Furthermore, Kenya Airways Group managing director [[Titus Naikuni]] said in Nairobi that local people had led rescuers to the crash site.<ref name="BBC"/> Cameroon's Minister of State for Territorial Administration Hamidou Yaya Marafa told a news conference that day, "All I can say for now is that the wreckage of the plane has been located in the small village of Mbanga Pongo, in the Douala III subdivision. We are putting in place rescue measures."<ref name="No survivors from Kenya plane: Cameroon"/> [[Civil Protection Service of Cameroon]]'s Director Jean-Pierre Nana claimed that "there are no chances that there will be any survivors because almost the entire body of the plane was buried inside the swamp".<ref name="no survivors"/> Kenya Airways reported that 29 bodies had been recovered from the crash site, while reports from Cameroon claimed that over 40 had been recovered. Workers reported that the bodies were "badly disfigured" and that identification would be difficult. Heavy rains in the area continued to hamper all efforts.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=42459|title=Flight KQ 507:29 bodies recovered|date=8 May 2007|publisher=KBC}}</ref>
On 7 May, Cameroon's state radio interrupted broadcasts to report that the wreckage of the plane had been found near Mvengue, southwest of the capital [[Yaoundé]], only to say later it could not confirm the report.<ref name="Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors"/> Later that day, Kenya Airways officials reported that the wreckage of the aircraft had been found {{convert|5.42|km}} south (176°) of the end of the airport's runway 12, some {{convert|120|km}} from the site mentioned in the earlier radio broadcasts.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} The wreckage was found on 6 May in a swamp, some {{convert|20|km}} southeast of Douala, submerged under mud and water.<ref name="Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors"/><ref name="Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737"/> There were no survivors.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?storyID=2007-05-06T195822Z_01_L06657609_RTRIDST_0_KENYA-AIR-UPDATE-5-PICTURE-GRAPHIC.XML|title=UPDATE 5-Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors|date=6 May 2007|agency=Reuters}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>Final report, p.15</ref> Furthermore, Kenya Airways Group managing director [[Titus Naikuni]] said in Nairobi that local people had led rescuers to the crash site.<ref name="BBC"/> Cameroon's Minister of State for Territorial Administration Hamidou Yaya Marafa told a news conference that day, "All I can say for now is that the wreckage of the plane has been located in the small village of Mbanga Pongo, in the Douala III subdivision. We are putting in place rescue measures."<ref name="No survivors from Kenya plane: Cameroon"/> [[Civil Protection Service of Cameroon]]'s Director Jean-Pierre Nana claimed that "there are no chances that there will be any survivors because almost the entire body of the plane was buried inside the swamp".<ref name="no survivors"/> Kenya Airways reported that 29 bodies had been recovered from the crash site, while reports from Cameroon claimed that over 40 had been recovered. Workers reported that the bodies were "badly disfigured" and that identification would be difficult. Heavy rains in the area continued to hamper all efforts.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=42459|title=Flight KQ 507:29 bodies recovered|date=8 May 2007|publisher=KBC}}</ref>


==Passengers and crew==
==Passengers and crew==
Kenya Airways disclosed a passenger list indicating that the 105 passengers on board were citizens of 26 different countries, most of them from Cameroon;<ref>{{cite news|title=6 Nigerians, 108 others feared killed in plane crash |url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705061423359 |newspaper=[[The Punch]] |date=6 May 2007 |accessdate=17 June 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715144418/http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705061423359 |archivedate=15 July 2011 }}</ref> nine of the occupants were Kenyan<!--Contrary to the early news reports, there were six crew members, NOT nine-->.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="passenger list">{{cite press release|title= Full list of Passengers of Flight KQ 507|url= http://84.40.1.214/Nationalities+List.htm|publisher= Kenya Airways|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070516080108/http://84.40.1.214/Nationalities%20List.htm|archivedate= 16 May 2007|accessdate= 18 January 2013|deadurl= yes}}</ref> Seventeen passengers boarded in Abidjan, while the rest did so in Douala.<ref name="Investigators trawl swamps for clues on Kenya 737 crash"/><ref name="passenger list"/>
Kenya Airways disclosed a passenger list indicating that the 105 passengers on board were citizens of 26 different countries, most of them from Cameroon;<ref>{{cite news|title=6 Nigerians, 108 others feared killed in plane crash |url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705061423359 |newspaper=[[The Punch]] |date=6 May 2007 |accessdate=17 June 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715144418/http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705061423359 |archivedate=15 July 2011 }}</ref> nine of the occupants were Kenyan<!--Contrary to the early news reports, there were six crew members, NOT nine-->.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="passenger list">{{cite press release|title= Full list of Passengers of Flight KQ 507|url= http://84.40.1.214/Nationalities+List.htm|publisher= Kenya Airways|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070516080108/http://84.40.1.214/Nationalities%20List.htm|archivedate= 16 May 2007|accessdate= 18 January 2013|deadurl= yes}}</ref> Seventeen passengers boarded in Abidjan, while the rest did so in Douala.<ref name="Investigators trawl swamps for clues on Kenya 737 crash"/><ref name="passenger list"/>


The six flight crew members were all Kenyan. An accompanying engineer and a [[Deadheading (employee)|deadheading]] flight attendant were among the passengers.<ref name="Finalreport15">[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf Official Report (English)]/[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Official Report (French)] (28 April 2010) – Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority. 15-16/58 (English: 15-16/89, French: 15-16/59). Retrieved 11 May 2011.</ref>
The six flight crew members were all Kenyan. An accompanying engineer and a [[Deadheading (employee)|deadheading]] flight attendant were among the passengers.<ref name="Finalreport15">[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf Official Report (English)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201110/http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf |date=23 September 2015 }}/[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Official Report (French)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201106/http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc |date=23 September 2015 }} (28 April 2010) – Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority. 15-16/58 (English: 15-16/89, French: 15-16/59). Retrieved 11 May 2011.</ref>


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==Investigation==
==Investigation==
The Cameroonian government established a technical commission of inquiry to investigate the accident.<ref name=ccaafinalrpt>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf |title=Technical Investigation into the Accident of the B737-800 Registration 5Y-KYA Operated by Kenya Airways that Occurred the 5th of May 2007 in Douala |publisher=[[Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority]] |date= 28 April 2010|page=2/58}}</ref> The [[National Transportation Safety Board]] of the United States sent a "Go-team" to assist with the investigation.<ref name="NTSB sending team to assist in the investigation of a 737 crash in Cameroon"/>
The Cameroonian government established a technical commission of inquiry to investigate the accident.<ref name=ccaafinalrpt>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf |title=Technical Investigation into the Accident of the B737-800 Registration 5Y-KYA Operated by Kenya Airways that Occurred the 5th of May 2007 in Douala |publisher=[[Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority]] |date=28 April 2010 |page=2/58 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201110/http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf |archivedate=23 September 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The [[National Transportation Safety Board]] of the United States sent a "Go-team" to assist with the investigation.<ref name="NTSB sending team to assist in the investigation of a 737 crash in Cameroon"/>


Early attention as to the cause of the crash centred on the possibility of dual engine [[flameout]] during heavy weather. Several clues pointed in this direction, including the time the plane was in the air, the distress call issued by the aircraft (both later disputed), the meteorological conditions at the time of the crash, and the nose-down position of the wreckage. The investigators theorised that this would be consistent with the plane losing power in both engines, attempting to glide back to the airport, and [[Stall (flight)|stalling]] during the attempt.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Associated Press|title=Engine failure probed in Kenyan crash|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-05-05-kenya-missing-plane_N.htm|website=USA Today|accessdate=27 May 2015|date=29 October 2007}}</ref> Other experts theorised that lightning had played a role in the crash.<ref name="Rescuers recover human remains at Cameroon crash site"/>
Early attention as to the cause of the crash centred on the possibility of dual engine [[flameout]] during heavy weather. Several clues pointed in this direction, including the time the plane was in the air, the distress call issued by the aircraft (both later disputed), the meteorological conditions at the time of the crash, and the nose-down position of the wreckage. The investigators theorised that this would be consistent with the plane losing power in both engines, attempting to glide back to the airport, and [[Stall (flight)|stalling]] during the attempt.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Associated Press|title=Engine failure probed in Kenyan crash|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-05-05-kenya-missing-plane_N.htm|website=USA Today|accessdate=27 May 2015|date=29 October 2007}}</ref> Other experts theorised that lightning had played a role in the crash.<ref name="Rescuers recover human remains at Cameroon crash site"/>
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<ref name="Reconstructing Flight 507's final moments">{{cite news|title=Reconstructing Flight 507's final moments |publisher=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]] |date=11 May 2007 |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/reconstructing-flight-507-s-final-moments-1.352642 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6Axz3kCxY?url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/reconstructing-flight-507-s-final-moments-1.352642 |archivedate=26 September 2012 |accessdate=28 September 2012 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref>
<ref name="Reconstructing Flight 507's final moments">{{cite news|title=Reconstructing Flight 507's final moments |publisher=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]] |date=11 May 2007 |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/reconstructing-flight-507-s-final-moments-1.352642 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6Axz3kCxY?url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/reconstructing-flight-507-s-final-moments-1.352642 |archivedate=26 September 2012 |accessdate=28 September 2012 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref>
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<ref name="Reconstructing the last moments of Kenya Airways Flight 507">{{cite news|title=Reconstructing the last moments of Kenya Airways Flight 507 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] |date=12 May 2007 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6DljNeWug?url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/12/apworld/20070512083950 |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/12/apworld/20070512083950 |archivedate=18 January 2013 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref>
<ref name="Reconstructing the last moments of Kenya Airways Flight 507">{{cite news |title=Reconstructing the last moments of Kenya Airways Flight 507 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] |date=12 May 2007 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6DljNeWug?url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2007%2F5%2F12%2Fapworld%2F20070512083950 |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/12/apworld/20070512083950 |archivedate=18 January 2013 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref>
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<ref name="Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737">{{cite news|title=Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737 |first1=Geoffrey |last1=Thomas |first2=Brian |last2=Straus |publisher=[[Air Transport World]] |date=8 May 2007 |url=http://atwonline.com/operations-maintenance/news/recovery-operation-beginning-outside-douala-lost-kq-737-0309 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6BAr5iFHK?url=http://atwonline.com/operations-maintenance/news/recovery-operation-beginning-outside-douala-lost-kq-737-0309 |archivedate=4 October 2012 |accessdate=4 October 2012 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref>
<ref name="Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737">{{cite news|title=Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737 |first1=Geoffrey |last1=Thomas |first2=Brian |last2=Straus |publisher=[[Air Transport World]] |date=8 May 2007 |url=http://atwonline.com/operations-maintenance/news/recovery-operation-beginning-outside-douala-lost-kq-737-0309 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6BAr5iFHK?url=http://atwonline.com/operations-maintenance/news/recovery-operation-beginning-outside-douala-lost-kq-737-0309 |archivedate=4 October 2012 |accessdate=4 October 2012 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref>
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*[[Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority]]
*[[Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority]]
**"[http://www.ccaa.aero/surete-et-securite-aerienne-141/aviation/actualite/384,technical-investigation-.html Technical Investigation]."
**"[http://www.ccaa.aero/surete-et-securite-aerienne-141/aviation/actualite/384,technical-investigation-.html Technical Investigation]."
***[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf Official Report] (28 April 2010, [http://www.caa.co.za/Foreign%20Accidents%20and%20Incidents%20Reports/Cameroon%20Accident.pdf Alt])
***[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201110/http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/rapport%20kenya.pdf Official Report] (28 April 2010, [http://www.caa.co.za/Foreign%20Accidents%20and%20Incidents%20Reports/Cameroon%20Accident.pdf Alt])
***[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Official Report] {{fr icon}} ([https://www.webcitation.org/5ybCfVumz?url=http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Archive])
***[http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Official Report] {{fr icon}} ([https://www.webcitation.org/5ybCfVumz?url=http://www.ccaa.aero/images/blogs/d033e22ae348aeb5660fc2140aec35850c4da99744f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c/Rapport%20enquete%20technique%20Kenya%20airways%20fr.doc Archive])
**"[http://www.ccaa.aero/rechercher-212/posts/article/383,declaration-of-the-minister-of-stateC-minister-of-transport-.html?sub=content DECLARATION OF THE MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTER OF TRANSPORT]." ([https://archive.is/20130819032313/http://www.ccaa.aero/rechercher-212/posts/article/383%2Cdeclaration-of-the-minister-of-stateC-minister-of-transport-.html?sub=content Archive])
**"[http://www.ccaa.aero/rechercher-212/posts/article/383,declaration-of-the-minister-of-stateC-minister-of-transport-.html?sub=content DECLARATION OF THE MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTER OF TRANSPORT]." ([https://archive.is/20130819032313/http://www.ccaa.aero/rechercher-212/posts/article/383%2Cdeclaration-of-the-minister-of-stateC-minister-of-transport-.html?sub=content Archive])

Revision as of 03:26, 22 September 2017

Kenya Airways Flight 507
The accident aircraft is seen here at OR Tambo International Airport in 2007 (2007).
Accident
Date5 May 2007
SummaryPilot error, spatial disorientation
SiteMbanga Pongo, in the Douala III subdivision, 5.42 km south (176°) of the end of Douala airport runway 12
3°57′04″N 9°44′02″E / 3.951°N 9.734°E / 3.951; 9.734
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 737-8AL
OperatorKenya Airways
Registration5Y-KYA
Flight originPort Bouet Airport
Last stopoverDouala International Airport
DestinationJomo Kenyatta International Airport
Passengers108
Crew6
Fatalities114 (all)
Survivors0

Kenya Airways Flight 507 was a scheduled Abidjan–Douala–Nairobi passenger service, operated with a Boeing 737-800, that crashed in the initial stage of its second leg on 5 May 2007, immediately after takeoff from Douala International Airport in Cameroon.[1][2][3]

The plane broke up into small pieces and came to rest mostly submerged in a mangrove swamp, 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) to the south (176°) of the end of Douala International Airport's runway 12.[4][5] There were no survivors.[4][6][7] The investigation by the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority determined that the pilots failed to notice and correct excessive bank following takeoff. This led to the loss of control and crash of the aircraft.[8]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident, registration 5Y-KYA (serial number 35069), was a Boeing 737-8AL that was equipped with twin CFMI CFM56-7B26 powerplants.[9] The airframe first flew on 9 October 2006, and was delivered to Kenya Airways on 27 October.[10] The aircraft was six months old at the time of the accident.[11][12] It was one of three Boeing 737-800s Kenya Airways had recently acquired from Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise.[4][13] The 52-year-old pilot in command—who had logged 8,500 hours on jetliners—and co-pilot (aged 23) had joined the airline 20 years and one year, respectively, before the accident.[14][15]

Crash

Flight 507 was one of three scheduled to depart from Douala Airport around midnight that day, with two other flights operated by Cameroon Airlines and Royal Air Maroc.[15][16][17] The aircrew of the Cameroonian and the Moroccan companies elected to wait for the weather to improve, while the Kenya Airways crew decided to depart, perhaps because they had already been delayed over an hour.[15][18]

The aircraft departed Douala at 23:06 GMT on 5 May (00:06 on 6 May local time);[18][19] the flight was due to arrive in Nairobi at 03:15 GMT (06:15 local time).[4][20][21] Contact with the plane was lost soon after takeoff from Douala.[12] Kenya Airways set up a crisis management center at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.[12][22]

On 7 May, Cameroon's state radio interrupted broadcasts to report that the wreckage of the plane had been found near Mvengue, southwest of the capital Yaoundé, only to say later it could not confirm the report.[23] Later that day, Kenya Airways officials reported that the wreckage of the aircraft had been found 5.42 kilometres (3.37 mi) south (176°) of the end of the airport's runway 12, some 120 kilometres (75 mi) from the site mentioned in the earlier radio broadcasts.[citation needed] The wreckage was found on 6 May in a swamp, some 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Douala, submerged under mud and water.[23][24] There were no survivors.[25][26] Furthermore, Kenya Airways Group managing director Titus Naikuni said in Nairobi that local people had led rescuers to the crash site.[21] Cameroon's Minister of State for Territorial Administration Hamidou Yaya Marafa told a news conference that day, "All I can say for now is that the wreckage of the plane has been located in the small village of Mbanga Pongo, in the Douala III subdivision. We are putting in place rescue measures."[27] Civil Protection Service of Cameroon's Director Jean-Pierre Nana claimed that "there are no chances that there will be any survivors because almost the entire body of the plane was buried inside the swamp".[7] Kenya Airways reported that 29 bodies had been recovered from the crash site, while reports from Cameroon claimed that over 40 had been recovered. Workers reported that the bodies were "badly disfigured" and that identification would be difficult. Heavy rains in the area continued to hamper all efforts.[28]

Passengers and crew

Kenya Airways disclosed a passenger list indicating that the 105 passengers on board were citizens of 26 different countries, most of them from Cameroon;[29] nine of the occupants were Kenyan.[21][30] Seventeen passengers boarded in Abidjan, while the rest did so in Douala.[4][30]

The six flight crew members were all Kenyan. An accompanying engineer and a deadheading flight attendant were among the passengers.[31]

Nationality Passengers Crew Total
 Burkina Faso 1 0 1
 Cameroon 37 0 37
 Central African Republic 2 0 2
 China 5 0 5
 Comoros 2 0 2
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 2 0 2
 Republic of the Congo 1 0 1
 Ivory Coast 6 0 6
 Egypt 1 0 1
 Equatorial Guinea 2 0 2
 Ghana 1 0 1
 India 15 0 15
 Kenya 3 6 9
 South Korea 1 0 1
 Mali 1 0 1
 Mauritania 1 0 1
 Mauritius 1 0 1
 Niger 3 0 3
 Nigeria 6 0 6
 Senegal 1 0 1
 South Africa 7 0 7
 Sweden 1 0 1
 Switzerland 1 0 1
 Tanzania 1 0 1
 Togo 1 0 1
 United Kingdom 5 0 5
 United States 1 0 1
Total 108 6 114

Notable passengers

  • Campbell Utton – CEO MTN Group Cameroon
  • Sarah Stewart – CFO MTN Group Cameroon[32]
  • Amol Chauhan – Director of Parle Products, India[33]
  • Anthony Mitchell – Associated Press reporter based in Kenya[34]
  • Siaka Diarra – President West African Frenchspeaking Zone, African Union of the Blind, President Association of the Blind Burkina Faso

– Source:[30]

Investigation

The Cameroonian government established a technical commission of inquiry to investigate the accident.[35] The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States sent a "Go-team" to assist with the investigation.[36]

Early attention as to the cause of the crash centred on the possibility of dual engine flameout during heavy weather. Several clues pointed in this direction, including the time the plane was in the air, the distress call issued by the aircraft (both later disputed), the meteorological conditions at the time of the crash, and the nose-down position of the wreckage. The investigators theorised that this would be consistent with the plane losing power in both engines, attempting to glide back to the airport, and stalling during the attempt.[37] Other experts theorised that lightning had played a role in the crash.[38]

The flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered on 7 May.[39][40] Kenya subsequently requested that the black box be analysed in Canada,[41] as Canada's bilingual nature would ease communications between it, French-speaking Cameroon, and English-speaking Kenya.[42] The analysis was completed on 30 May 2007, though the results of the analysis were not immediately disclosed because only Cameroon may release such data per the Convention on International Civil Aviation.[43]

On 12 May 2007, DNA testing of relatives of the victims began in Douala.[44] It was conducted in Bosnia, given the neutrality of the country regarding the nationality of the victims.[41]

The cockpit voice recorder took much longer to locate, as it was buried in 15 metres (49 ft) of mud, amidst the wreckage of the cockpit.[45] It was located on 15 June 2007 and prepared for transport to Canada for examination as the black box had been.[40][46]

The Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) released its final report of the crash on 28 April 2010.[8] The investigation found that the aircraft departed without receiving clearance from air traffic control. The captain, who was the flying pilot, corrected a right bank several times after takeoff. After 42 seconds of flight, the captain indicated that he had activated the autopilot. The autopilot did not engage, nor was the message acknowledged by the copilot. The pilots did not notice that the aircraft was increasingly banking to the right from 11° when the captain indicated that he had set the autopilot to 34° when a bank angle warning sounded 40 seconds later. The captain then activated the autopilot, but his inputs on the controls led to a further increase in the bank angle. The aircraft pitched nose down after it reached a height of 2,900 feet (880 m) with a 115° right bank. The two pilots used opposite and conflicting control inputs to attempt to recover the aircraft. The aircraft crashed at 287 knots (532 km/h; 330 mph), at 48° down pitch and 60° right bank 1:42 after take off.[35]

The CCAA determined the probable causes of the crash to be "loss of control of the aircraft as a result of spatial disorientation . . . after a long slow roll, during which no instrument scanning was done, and in the absence of external visual references in a dark night. Inadequate operational control, lack of crew coordination, coupled with the non-adherence to procedures of flight monitoring, confusion in the utilization of the autopilot, have also contributed to cause this situation."[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 15 June 2011.
  2. ^ Learmount, David (7 January 2008). "Accidents/incidents for 2007 – Fatal accidents: scheduled passenger flights". Flight International. Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  3. ^ McCrummen, Stephanie (6 May 2007). "Passenger Jet Disappears Over Cameroon". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e Kaminski-Morrow, David (15 May 2007). "Investigators trawl swamps for clues on Kenya 737 crash". Flight International. London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 16 June 2014.
  5. ^ Vogt, Heidi (8 May 2007). "Grim Work Continues at Plane Crash Site". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Aucun survivant dans le crash de l'appareil de Kenya Airways". Le Monde (in French). 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b "No chance of survivors from Kenya plane – Cameroon". Reuters AlertNet. 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 9 May 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b Kaminiski-Morrow, David (28 April 2010). "Kenya 737 crash: Poor airmanship led to disorientation". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Final report, p.21
  10. ^ "Boeing 737 Next Gen – MSN 35069 – 5Y-KYA". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  11. ^ "Kenya Airways Boeing 737 black box found". London: Flightglobal. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 16 June 2014.
  12. ^ a b c Kaminski-Morrow, David (5 May 2007). "Kenya Airways Boeing 737 crashes in Cameroon". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014.
  13. ^ "Plane was one of KQ's newly acquired crafts". Sunday Times. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 9 May 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Jotischky, Tim (18 March 2012). "The tragedy of Flight KQ507". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b c "Reconstructing Flight 507's final moments". IOL. 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Reconstructing the last moments of Kenya Airways Flight 507". The Star. 12 May 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Official: Cameroon crash probe turns to pilot". USA Today. Associated Press. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b Kamisnki-Morrow, David (27 June 2007). "No evidence of mechanical failure on crashed Kenya Airways Boeing 737". London: Flighgtglobal. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Final report, p.11
  20. ^ "Kenya Air Jet Goes Down in Cameroon". The New York Times. Associated Press. 6 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b c "'No survivors' in Cameroon crash". BBC News. 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Kenya plane 'crashes in Cameroon'". BBC News. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ a b "Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors". Reuters. 6 May 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Thomas, Geoffrey; Straus, Brian (8 May 2007). "Recovery operation beginning outside Douala for lost KQ 737". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "UPDATE 5-Cameroon finds Kenya plane, no word of survivors". Reuters. 6 May 2007.[permanent dead link‍]
  26. ^ Final report, p.15
  27. ^ "No survivors from Kenya plane: Cameroon". Brisbane Times. 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ "Flight KQ 507:29 bodies recovered". KBC. 8 May 2007.
  29. ^ "6 Nigerians, 108 others feared killed in plane crash". The Punch. 6 May 2007. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ a b c "Full list of Passengers of Flight KQ 507" (Press release). Kenya Airways. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2013. {{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ Official Report (English) Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine/Official Report (French) Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine (28 April 2010) – Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority. 15-16/58 (English: 15-16/89, French: 15-16/59). Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  32. ^ ""Mourners gather to honour staff killed in plane crash". Pravda. 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ ""Amol Chauhan mourned". The Hindu. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ Rice, Xan (7 May 2007). "Missing Britons named as plane's wreckage is found in Cameroon jungle". The Guardian. Nairobi. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ a b c "Technical Investigation into the Accident of the B737-800 Registration 5Y-KYA Operated by Kenya Airways that Occurred the 5th of May 2007 in Douala" (PDF). Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority. 28 April 2010. p. 2/58. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ "NTSB sending team to assist in the investigation of a 737 crash in Cameroon" (Press release). National Transportation Safety Board. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013. {{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Associated Press (29 October 2007). "Engine failure probed in Kenyan crash". USA Today. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
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  39. ^ "Other News – 05/08/2007". Air Transport World. 9 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  40. ^ a b Final report, p.30
  41. ^ a b Kaminski-Morrow, David (5 June 2007). "Canadian investigators to analyse crashed 737 data". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014.
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  43. ^ "Analysis of KQ 507's flight Flight Data Recorder complete". 30 May 2007.[dead link‍]
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  45. ^ "KQ Resumes Cameroon Flights". 15 May 2007.
  46. ^ "Kenyan flight KQ 507 – Cockpit voice recorder recovered". 18 June 2007.

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