UTA Flight 141

UTA Flight 141

The aircraft involved when still operated by American Airlines in 1998.
Accident
Date	25 December 2003
Summary	Failure to take off due to aircraft overload as a result of poor management
Site	Cotonou Airport, Cotonou, Benin 6°20′48.9″N 2°22′16.9″E / 6.346917°N 2.371361°E / 6.346917; 2.371361
Total fatalities	141[note 1]
Total injuries	22
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Boeing 727-223
Operator	Union des Transports Africains de Guinée (UTA)
ICAO flight No.	GIH141
Call sign	GULF INDIA HOTEL 141
Registration	3X-GDO
Flight origin	Conakry International Airport, Conakry, Guinea
1st stopover	Cotonou Airport, Cotonou, Benin
2nd stopover	Kufra Airport, Kufra, Libya
Last stopover	Beirut International Airport, Beirut, Lebanon
Destination	Dubai International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Passengers	150
Crew	10
Fatalities	138
Injuries	21
Survivors	22
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	3
Ground injuries	1

UTA Flight 141 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Guinean regional airline Union des Transports Africains de Guinée, flying from Conakry to Dubai with stopovers in Benin, Libya and Lebanon. On 25 December 2003, the Boeing 727–223 operating the flight struck a building and crashed into the Bight of Benin while rolling for take off from Cotonou, killing 141 people. The crash of Flight 141 was the deadliest crash in Benin's aviation history.^[1][2]

The investigation concluded that the crash was primarily caused by overloading. However, it also subsequently revealed massive incompetence within the airline, particularly on its dangerous safety culture. The issue had gone unnoticed following lapses between authorities and further incompetence in management oversight led to the aircraft's overloaded state. Multiple factors, including the short runway at Cotonou and the high demand of passengers for the route, had also contributed to the crash.^[3]

In regards to the result of the investigation, the Guinean government was urged to create reforms and regulations on the civil aviation authorities in the country. The BEA, the commission responsible for the investigation, had also urged ICAO to examine provisions related to safety oversight and the FAA and the European EASA were asked to support the creation of an autonomous weight and balance calculation system on board every airliner.^[3]

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