Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in Cafunfo

Date & Time: Apr 2, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Registration:
ER-AEQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luanda - Cafunfo
MSN:
16 03
YOM:
1988
Location:
Cafunfo
Lunda Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
2855
Aircraft flight cycles:
1213
Circumstances:
On approach to Cafunfo Airport, the encountered strong crosswinds. On short final, the aircraft was too low and struck the ground short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off. The aircraft slid on its belly for few dozen metres then lost its empennage and left wing before coming to rest. All 15 occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Cafunfo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1998
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
ACA-Ancargo Air
Registration:
TN-AFJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Luanda - Lucapa
MSN:
4 019 08
YOM:
1964
Location:
Cafunfo
Lunda Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight from Luanda to Lucapa, the four engine aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in the region of Cafunfo. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an UNITA surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 near Quibaxe: 37 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1997 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Casa 212 Aviocar
Operator:
Registration:
T-400
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Luanda - Cafunfo
MSN:
325
YOM:
1985
Location:
Quibaxe
Cuanza Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, en route from Luanda to Cafunfo, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near Quibaxe. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown. It was reported that the crew encountered technical problems prior to the loss of control and was unable to maintain the assigned altitude.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Cafunfo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1996 at 1635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Air Nacoia - Exploraçao de Aeronaves
Registration:
UR-26197
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luanda - Cafunfo
MSN:
12609
YOM:
1983
Location:
Cafunfo
Lunda Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On approach to Cafunfo Airport, following an uneventful cargo flight from Luanda, the crew encountered bad weather conditions with thunderstorm. On short final, the pilot reported a minor technical problem with the left engine and initiated a go-around procedure. Shortly later, the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway, bursting into flames. Four crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while initiating a go-around procedure due to a stall consecutive to an insufficient speed.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Cafunfo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Registration:
D2-ECH
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luanda - Cafunfo
MSN:
BB-345
YOM:
1978
Location:
Cafunfo
Lunda Norte
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After landing at Cafunfo Airport and while taxiing to the ramp, the crew heard several explosions outside the airport as UNITA rebels were approaching the airstrip. In such conditions, the crew decided to return to Luanda and expedited a takeoff. After departure, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft was hit by a Stinger missile that struck the right engine. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed few km from the airport, bursting into flames. Two passengers were killed while four other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Stinger missile.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Luanda: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1991 at 1542 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
J6-SLQ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luanda - Cafunfo
MSN:
3099
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
AGO1228
Location:
Luanda-4 de Fevereiro
Luanda
Country:
Angola
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft leased from Carib Air Transport to Angola Air Charter was completing a cargo flight from Luanda to Cafunfo, carrying six passengers, four crew members and a load of various goods for the Luanda Norte Province. Shortly after takeoff from runway 24, while climbing to a height of about 50-60 meters, the aircraft banked right then to the left. It stalled and struck the ground on the right side of the runway and disintegrated. All 10 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The investigation into the cause of the crash was severely hampered by the fact that the wreckage had been moved from the scene by the orders of an Air Force official, without authorization of the civil aviation authorities (DNAC). Additionally, both flight recorders were not located in the wreckage. The commission found several pieces of debris along the right side of the runway, 300-400 meters from the crash site.
"The accident is deduced to have originated with a probable internal explosion of an unidentified foreign object that perhaps had as its site of action an area of the fuel storage area on the right wing of the aircraft. When the explosion occurred, it would have caused the craft to dip to the right owing to the lack of support on the aerodynamic planes on that side and then to fall to angle of more or less 45 degrees with runway 24 due to asymmetry in the weight of that wing. Greater weight on the [left] side' may have caused the aircraft to stall, because the first impact actually was made by the tip of the left wing striking the ground, prior to the fire that destroyed it totally."
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