Kamina

After touchdown on a wet earth runway, the airplane went out of control. It veered off runway to the right, struck a shoulder and lost its nose gear before coming to rest. All 18 occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was substantially damaged.

Shortly after takeoff from Kamina Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a swampy area. A parliamentary member of the DRC government was killed while all other occupants escaped with various injuries.

The aircraft struck the ground 800 metres short of runway. Congolese Army' Soldiers guarded the site, so no UNO observers could get in. Illegal cargo flight with arms and war material on board is suspected.

While descending to Kamina Airport, the twin engine aircraft struck a mountain and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Kamina to Jamba on behalf of the CIA, carrying a load of weapons for the UNITA rebels. While approaching Jamba, the crew descended too low to avoid MPLA radar detection when on final, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames. All five crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to the night and the runway was unlighted.

The aircraft,was chartered by Air Congo and was carrying out a non-scheduled domestic flight Kamina - Stanleyville (now Kisangani) - Kamina. Eleven passengers embarked at Stanleyville and the aircraft started its take-off run at 1920 hours local time. After approximately 900 m the pilot suddenly saw, in the darkness, an empty fuel drum on the runway. In an attempt to avoid it, he veered left by braking violently on the left wheels. In spite of this manoeuvre, the nose wheel hit the drum. The forward part of the aircraft was lifted off the ground, aided perhaps by the pilot's manoeuvre in attempting take-off. By that time, the aircraft had attained a speed at which take-off would have been possible under normal conditions. Unfortunately, following the shock the drum bounced, fell back on the runway, bounced again and the aircraft in a nose high attitude caught the drum with the right stabilizer. Part of the stabilizer was torn away and fell on to the runway while the drum was tossed on to the edge of the clearway. The aircraft continued further, now deflected to the right by the unbalanced right stabilizer, which was probably completely distorted. The crew immediately retracted the landing gear. After being airborne about 500 m, the aircraft, out of vertical control, dived into the clearway at an angle of about 300, bounced up, fell back 50 m farther, skidded on its belly and finally came to a stop after a swing of 900 to the right. During that swing, the passengers in the rear of the cabin were thrown out of the aircraft through the torn-off cargo door and through the open cabin door. Fire broke out immediately after the aircraft came to a stop. The accident occurred on the north clearway of runway 28, about 150 m from the runway end. All three crew members and three passengers were killed, eight other occupants were injured. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

Reportedly damaged in a ground loop accident at Kamina. (TBC)