DAS Air Cargo DC-10-30 plane crash

The DAS Air Cargo McDonnell Douglas DC-10 freighter was arriving at Entebbe, Uganda, after a flight from London. Heavy rain had affected the airport shortly before arrival and runway 35 was very wet. The aircraft touched down well along the runway and continued its landing roll without being able to stop before the end.

The DC-10 overran the runway, crossed the area beyond the opposite threshold and came to rest in the shallow waters of Lake Victoria. All seven crewmembers were rescued quickly. The aircraft was severely damaged.

Investigation findings

We did not locate a publicly accessible Ugandan official final report from which a formal cause could be quoted. The available information describes a long landing on a very wet runway followed by an overrun. Aquaplaning is frequently mentioned in historical accounts, but in the absence of a final official conclusion it should not be presented here as the demonstrated cause of the accident.