Malawi: Mzuzu Airport's Safety Gaps Exposed After Chilima's Fatal Crash

What the report says

A parliamentary inquiry in Malawi has heard that Mzuzu Airport has been operating for more than a decade without functional air navigation equipment and without a system to record radio communications. The testimony, reported by Nyasa Times and distributed by AllAfrica, adds new attention to the airport’s role in the crash that killed former Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others in June 2024.

Airport officer-in-charge Joseph Moyo told the committee that the airport is limited to Visual Flight Rules, meaning pilots rely on visual judgment because ground-based navigation tools are not working. He said the airport previously had a VOR navigation aid, but it is no longer operational. Lawmakers were also told that there is no equipment to log communications between controllers and aircraft.

The reported gaps raise questions about long-term investment and safety oversight at a regional airport that handles domestic and VIP flights. While the article does not establish a direct cause of the crash, it suggests the inquiry is examining whether the airport’s infrastructure and procedures may have affected the fatal flight’s landing approach. In general, aviation safety investigations often review airport equipment, communications records and weather conditions to understand what happened and to reduce future risk.