Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Butembo

Date & Time: Mar 17, 2024
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9S-GPB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goma - Butembo
MSN:
79 03 03
YOM:
1979
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
In unclear circumstances, the twin engine airplane crashed upon landing at Butembo Airfield and came to rest nearby the runway. At least two occupants were injured and evacuated to local hospital. The airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E20 in South Kivu: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 2022 at 1432 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9S-GPK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kasese – Goma
MSN:
86 17 02
YOM:
1986
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
15750
Aircraft flight hours:
9468
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kasese Airport at 1500LT on a cargo flight to Goma, carrying two pilots, one passenger and a load of various goods for a total weight of one ton. En route, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds and heavy rain falls. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found two days later in a dense wooded area located in South Kivu, about 139 km southwest of Goma. The airplane was destroyed by a post impact fire and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Peter Sabo +1.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it may be the consequence of an insufficient consideration of weather conditions during flight preparation or during the flight itself, to a system or component failure, or to human error (error of judgment and decision-making).
Final Report:

Crash of a Short 360-300 in Shabunda: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 2021
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9S-GPS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Goma - Shabunda
MSN:
3752
YOM:
1989
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Goma on a cargo flight to Shabunda, carrying two conveyors and three crew members. On approach to Shabunda Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the arcraft crashed 15 km from the airport. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules in Goma

Date & Time: Jan 9, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
403
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beni - Goma
MSN:
3750
YOM:
1962
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
59
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was completing a flight from Beni to Goma, carrying 59 South African troops and eight crew members from the 28th Squadron on behalf of the MONUSCO (Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en République Démocratique du Congo). The approach and landing were completed in heavy rain falls. After touchdown, the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area with the left wing broken in two and the n°1 engine on fire. All 67 occupants escaped uninjured and the fire was quickly contained. However, the aircraft seems to be damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-200 in Goma: 29 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 2019 at 0910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9S-GNH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Goma - Butembo
MSN:
8030
YOM:
1984
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed runway 17 at Goma International Airport on a schedule service to Butembo (first service of the day). After takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane lost height and crashed onto several houses located in the district of Birere, south of the airport, and burst into flames. All 19 occupants were killed as well as 10 people on the ground.

Crash of an Antonov AN-72 near Okoto: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 2019 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A-72903
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Goma - Kinshasa
MSN:
36572020385
YOM:
1987
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Goma Airport at 1532LT on a cargo flight to Kinshasa, carrying four crew members, four passengers and various goods for the Congolese Presidency. The last contact with the flight was 59 minutes after takeoff from Goma Airport then the airplane disappeared without any distress call from the crew. The wreckage was localised on October 14 near the village of Okoto, Kole region, in the west part of the Kasai-Oriental Province. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed, among them two bodyguards and one of the personal driver of the Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi who returned from Goma to Kinshasa the same day in another aircraft. The Congolese Presidency confirmed that Félix Tshisekedi spent four days in Goma and that his personal Jeep was on board the AN-72.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Goma

Date & Time: Sep 10, 2017 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9S-AFL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goma – Bunia
MSN:
140 03
YOM:
1985
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Goma Airport, while on a cargo flight to Bunia, the crew reported technical problems with the right engine and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. The crew landed long (about half way down the runway) and after touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and while contacting lava ground, the right main gear and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest with its right wing bent and all four crew members evacuated safely.

Crash of a Beechcraft 1900D in Beni

Date & Time: Sep 28, 2016 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-PZE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goma - Beni
MSN:
UE-32
YOM:
1992
Flight number:
UNO830
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4728
Captain / Total hours on type:
921.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2258
Copilot / Total hours on type:
251
Aircraft flight hours:
21498
Aircraft flight cycles:
30564
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Goma on a regular schedule flight (service UNO830) to Beni, carrying eight passengers and two pilots on behalf of the Monusco, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On approach to Beni-Mavivi Airport, the crew completed the approach checklist and elected to configure the aircraft but realized that the undercarriage would not extend. After the circuit breaker was reset, the crew was able to lower the landing gear manually and continued the approach with no reporting to ATC. After touchdown on runway 11, the aircraft rolled for about 450 metres when the right main gear collapsed. Out of control the aircraft veered off runway to the right, slid in a grassy area, crossed a ditch and came to rest near the apron. All 10 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- The ovality due to the wear of the junction point of the arm (270) with the actuator (15) over time to the point that it finally broke and released the actuator from the whole undercarriage system.
- Overheating of the time/delay relay caused the circuit breaker to trip.
- The ovality created by the job(65) at the junction of the arm(270) to the actuator(15) eventually thinned and broke off the actuator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker 50 in Goma: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 2013 at 1744 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CBD
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Kananga - Lodja - Goma
MSN:
20270
YOM:
1992
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Kananga to Goma with an intermediate stop in Lodja, carrying four passengers, 6 crew members and a load of various goods. On final approach to Goma Airport Runway 36, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On final, the aircraft contacted the roof of a house and crashed in the garden of a residential area, coming to rest upside down. Three passengers were seriously injured while seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Butembo

Date & Time: Oct 30, 2012 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CAZ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goma - Butembo
MSN:
79 02 05
YOM:
1979
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Goma, the twin engine airplane landed on runway 14/32 which is 770 metres long. After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its left main gear and came to rest down an embankment with its left wing damaged. All 18 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.