Gbadolite

Following an uneventful flight from Gbadolite, the crew started a night approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck trees and crashed 3 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed, among them Mpinga Kasenda, Minister of Foreign Affairs by the Zaire Government, Patrice Mandoko Bingoto, General Manager of SNEL (Société Nationale d’Électricité) and two Tunisian diplomats.

After takeoff from Kinshasa-N’Djili Airport, while climbing, a propeller blade on the engine n°3 detached and struck the engine n°4. Following severe vibrations, the aircraft became unstable, lost speed and height and crashed in Kinkole, about 8 km northeast of the airport. Four passengers, among them a young girl aged 4 were injured while 20 other occupants were killed.

On approach to Gbadolite Airport, a fuel exhaustion forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in Molegbe, about 7 km west of the airport and came to rest. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.