"BEECHCRAFT 1900D - CRASHED IN SOUTH SUDAN IN JANUARY 29, 2025"

  

On January 29, 2025, a tragic aviation accident occurred in South Sudan that once again highlighted the precarious state of the country’s regional air travel. A Beechcraft 1900D, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft, crashed shortly after taking off from the GPOC Unity Airstrip in Unity State.

The flight was a routine charter meant to transport oil workers back to the capital, Juba, for a monthly shift rotation. Of the 21 people on board, only one survived.

 

The Sequence of Events

The aircraft, with registration 5X-RHB, was operated by the Ugandan company Eagle Air on behalf of Light Air Services. It had been chartered by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), a major oil consortium.

·        Takeoff: The flight departed at approximately 10:30 AM local time.

·        The Incident: Within three to ten minutes of being airborne, the aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly.

·        Impact: Witnesses on the ground reported seeing a wing possibly detach or "snap" before the aircraft plummeted. It crashed approximately 500 meters from the runway, coming to rest upside down in a bushy area near the oil fields.

Casualties and the Sole Survivor

The crash resulted in 20 fatalities. The victims included:

·        Passengers: 16 South Sudanese oil workers, 2 Chinese nationals, and 1 Indian national.

·        Crew: Two highly experienced Ugandan pilots: Captain Peter Amua (a designated flight examiner and former chief instructor) and First Officer Emmanuel Wiri Drake.

The Survivor: The lone survivor was identified as Emmanuel Maker Makoi, a South Sudanese engineer. He was pulled from the wreckage in critical condition and initially treated at a hospital in Bentiu before being airlifted to Juba for specialist care.

 

The Investigation and Findings

The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA) launched an immediate investigation into the disaster. Due to the country's limited technical resources, the investigation became an international effort:

1.   Black Box Recovery: The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) were retrieved from the wreckage. In May 2025, the South Sudanese government sent these "black boxes" to the United States for analysis by the manufacturer and the NTSB.

2.   International Support: The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) of Singapore and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) of New Zealand provided assistance. New Zealand's involvement was due to the aircraft’s history; it had been owned by Air New Zealand from 2002 to 2016.

3.   Preliminary Theories: While the final report is still pending in many official records, initial findings pointed to mechanical failure. The eyewitness report of a wing detaching suggests a possible structural failure or severe metal fatigue, though investigators also looked into maintenance logs and potential overloading.

 

Safety Concerns and Aftermath

The crash sparked a national outcry regarding the safety of South Sudan's airspace.

·        Aging Fleets: The aircraft involved was 24 years old. Critics pointed out that South Sudan has become a "graveyard" for aging turboprops that are often poorly maintained.

·        Regulatory Oversight: Following the crash, President Salva Kiir expressed "profound sorrow" and ordered a crackdown on aviation standards. There were calls for the SSCAA to enforce stricter regulations on the import and operation of older aircraft.

·        Impact on the Oil Sector: As the victims were specialized engineers and technical staff, the loss dealt a significant blow to the GPOC’s operations and the broader South Sudanese oil industry.

Statistics Note: This accident added to a grim record; since 2011, South Sudan has recorded nearly 100 deaths from small-scale aviation crashes, often attributed to a mix of aging equipment, poor infrastructure, and unpredictable weather.

*************************