Preliminary details of the Utair Cargo Antonov An-74 landing accident at Gao in Mali indicate the aircraft suffered an extensive electrical failure before the touchdown and overrun.
Russian federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia states that the generator of the right-hand Progress D-36 engine failed during the 3 August flight from Bamako, according to the aircraft’s captain.
The captain decided to commence a descent and engage the auxiliary power unit.
But as the crew tried to start the APU, the generator of the left-hand engine also failed.
Two attempts to start the APU were unsuccessful, according to the captain’s testimony, and the crew prepared for an emergency landing at Gao.
The landing-gear was extended manually but the flaps were not deployed.
As the aircraft touched down, the crew was not able to engage reverse-thrust and the aircraft overran the runway – which was wet – at a speed of 75-85kt, before coming to a halt having suffered substantial damage.
While the crew of seven suffered minor injuries, the four passengers were not injured. The aircraft’s forward fuselage was extensively damaged as was the landing-gear.
Rosaviatsia states that the captain had logged a total of nearly 13,000h. The An-74TK-100, a 26-year old airframe registered RA-74044, had been operating the service on behalf of the United Nations.
