Zone
Katanga

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Kinshasa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1949 at 0745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CBK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Léopoldville – Elisabethville
MSN:
14600/26045
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kinshasa-Ndolo
Kinshasa City Province
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered problems to gain height. The captain started to turn to the right when the aircraft stalled and crashed inverted near the airport. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while 15 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on both engines after liftoff due to the fact that the fuel was contaminated with water. It was determined that a certain amount of water was in the tank at the time of the accident. In addition, the spark plugs were dirty and the electrical contact was poor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Kimbwe: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1948 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CBL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manono – Elisabethville
MSN:
12420
YOM:
1944
Location:
Elisabethville
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
3040
Circumstances:
On approach to Elisabethville in goo weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Kimbwe, few km northwest of E'ville Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as good with few clouds, no turbulence and good visibility.
Crew:
Arthur Deschamps, pilot,
Raoul Gousseau, pilot,
Englebert Rillaerts, flight engineer,
Antoine Tshisahu, steward.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the following assumptions have been ruled out: in flight fire, loss of element such as wing or stabilizer and/or any airframe vibration which might have come from a faulty weight balance.

Crash of an Avro 594 Avian III in the Muchinga Hills

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Avro 594 Avian
Operator:
Henry Drummond Wolff
Registration:
G-EBVU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cape Town – Johannesburg – Pretoria – Livingstone – Elizabethville – Tabora
MSN:
111
YOM:
1928
Location:
Muchinga Hills
Southern
Country:
Zambia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot Murdoch was performing a private flight from South Africa back to England. Few minutes after his departure from Livingstone, he encountered unspecified problems when the aircraft crashed on a mountain slope located in the Muchinga Hills. The aircraft named 'John' was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.
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