Air Algérie Flight 6289 (AH6289) was an Algerian domestic passenger flight from Tamanrasset to the nation's capital of Algiers with a stopover in Ghardaïa, operated by Algerian national airline Air Algérie. On 6 March 2003, the aircraft operating the flight, a Boeing 737-200, crashed near the Trans-Sahara Highway shortly after taking off from Tamanrasset's Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport, killing all but one of the 103 people on board. At the time of the accident, it was the deadliest aviation disaster on Algerian soil.

The investigation concluded that a flight crew error caused the crash following an engine failure shortly after take-off. The captain of Flight 6289 had taken over the control from the first officer without adequate identification of the actual emergency. As the Captain could not comprehend the exact cause of the emergency, appropriate corrective actions were not taken, despite the attempts of the First Officer. The speed drastically dropped and the aircraft crashed into the terrain.

Background

Aircraft

The aircraft was a 19-year old Boeing 737-2T4 with an Algerian aircraft registration of 7T-VEZ, equipped with two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A engines. The aircraft entered service on 9 December 1983 and had flown for more than 40,000 hours. Among the passengers were 14 members of the Mouloudia d'Adriane football team, who were heading to Ghardaïa for the regional qualification of the Algerian League One.

There were six crew members on board, consisting of two flight crew and four cabin crew. The captain, 48-year-old Boualem Benaouicha, had accumulated a total of 10,760 hours of flight experience, including 1,087 hours on the Boeing 737-200 as captain. He had obtained his licence to fly a Boeing 737 in 2001.

Accident

Flight 6289 was a flight from Tamanrasset, the capital of Tamanrasset Province, to the Algerian capital of Algiers with a stopover in Ghardaïa. The flight was popular for Algerians and tourists as Tamanrasset was known for its archaeological sites and was the capital of the Tuareg people. The fare was also described as fairly cheap. On 6 March 2003, the flight was carrying 97 passengers and 6 crew members, with First Officer Yousfi as the pilot flying.

At about 15:01 CET, pushback clearance was requested by the crew and the ATC cleared the crew to taxi to Runway 02. As the flight crew reported that they were ready for take-off, the ATC later asked the crew to line up and later cleared the crew for take-off to Ghardaïa. The crew chose a V<sub>1</sub> of , V<sub>R</sub> of and V<sub>2</sub> of with a maximum thrust on take-off. The sole survivor of the accident was 28-year-old Algerian soldier Youcef Djillali. He was seated in the last row with his seat belt unfastened (as indicated in his statement) and was ejected from the plane upon impact, escaping from the accident. The man was found in a coma with multiple injuries.

Investigation

Prime Minister of Algeria Ali Benflis immediately set up a commission to investigate the accident. Under the Algerian Ministry of Transport, the commission was led by Ahcéne Affane, Director General of the Algerian Ministry of Transport. Technical support from the French BEA was requested. Additionally, the investigation was assisted by representatives from the NTSB, FAA and Pratt & Whitney Canada. A total of seven meetings were held to analyse the result and the progress of the investigation. Testimonies from multiple witnesses were consistent with an explosion as they claimed that a large thumping noise was heard immediately after take-off from Tamanrasset. Initial examination on the runway later revealed the presence of debris from one of the aircraft's engines. During the wreckage examination, investigators discovered that during the flight the left engine was rotating at low speed with no thrust. A repatriation ceremony for the six French victims was held in Algiers. At least two of the victims were sent to Marseille while the other four were flown to Paris.

Officials agreed to build a monument for the victims of the crash. A monument was later erected near the crash site of Flight 6289. Multiple events were also held to commemorate the victims of the crash. In the nearby Ben Messaoud sports complex in Iméchouène, multiple mini-tournaments were held for the residents in the area. Special sponsorship would also be given to Mouloudia d'Adriane, the football club that lost 14 members of the team in the crash. Minister of Youth and Sports El Hadi Ould Ali stated that "The state does not forget its children and full support will be given to the club so that it can return to the sports scene".

In response to the crash, investigators issued a recommendation for the Algerian government to create an independent investigative body for aircraft accidents in the country. However, this recommendation was not enacted and as of 2024 there is still no independent aircraft accident investigation commission in Algeria.

This clarified the Captain's failures in preparation, keeping a sterile cockpit, inappropriately taking control rather than diagnosing the situation, and refusing to allow the First Officer to take corrective action. There is a suggestion that the Captain's refusal to allow the First Officer to take the necessary corrective action may have been due to misogyny.

See also

  • Centurion Air Cargo Flight 164
  • List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
  • List of aviation accidents and incidents with a sole survivor
  • Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105
  • LOT Polish Airlines Flight 7
  • LOT Polish Airlines Flight 5055
  • United Airlines Flight 232

Notes

References

  • Ministry of Public Works and Transport
  • Official Accident Report info page (Archive)
  • Full official report – PDF version (Archive)
  • Official Accident Report info page (Archive) – The French version is the original version
  • Full official report (Archive)