Cameroon Airlines

Cameroon Airlines

Cameroon Airlines was an airline from Cameroon, serving as flag carrier of the country. Based in Douala, it operated scheduled services within Africa, as well as to Europe and the Middle East out of its hub at Douala International Airport, with an important second network focus on Yaoundé Nsimalen...

 Flight 786 was a Boeing 737-2H7C

Boeing 737

The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...

, registration TJ-CBD, operating as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Douala Airport, Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

 (ICAO: FKKD), to Garoua

Garoua

Garoua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. The city had 235,996 inhabitants at the 2005 Census, and is an important river port.- Overview :...

 via Yaoundé

Yaoundé

-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...

. On 30 August 1984, as the aircraft was taxiing out for takeoff with 109 passengers and a crew of 7 on board, its number two engine suffered an uncontained compressor failure, which started a fire. All occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft, but two passengers died due to fire outside the cabin. The aircraft burned to the ground and was declared a total loss.

Accident sequence

As the aircraft was taxiing out in preparation for takeoff, a high pressure compressor disk in the number two (right side) Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 engine failed and disintegrated, with fragments damaging the right wing and perforating the fuel tank. The fuel began leaking from the ruptured tank onto the ground below the aircraft, and a fire was ignited. All occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft, but two passengers died due to the fire outside. The plane was completely destroyed.

Aftermath

According to Cameroon Airline's Chief Pilot (ret.) Jean Louis Angounou, interviewed in May 2009 on Le Jour Quotidien, the exact cause of the accident has never been determined because "in Cameroon, some inquiries begin but never come to an end."