Kinshasa

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa - Boende

MSN:

10393

YOM:

1969

Location:

Boende

Tshuapa

Country:

Region:

Zaire Air Force - Force Aérienne Zaïroise

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9527

Aircraft flight cycles:

6807

Circumstances:

Following an apparent wrong approach configuration, the airplane landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, it was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and collided with an embankment located 100 meters past the runway end. All 38 occupants escaped injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A young boy was killed on the ground.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew failed to follow the approach checklist and published procedures,
- Poor flight preparation,
- Poor crew coordination.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Kisangani: 31 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

9T-TCD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa - Kisangani

MSN:

4422

YOM:

1971

Location:

Kisangani

Orientale

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During a night approach to Kisangani Airport, the four engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the runway threshold. The wreckage was found the following morning and all 31 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7CF in Abidjan

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1970 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-7

Operator:

ARCO Bermuda

Registration:

VR-BCT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

WIGMO - Western International Ground Maintenance Organization

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Abidjan – Dakar – Agadir – Basel – Liverpool

MSN:

44875/668

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a ferry flight from Kinshasa to Liverpool with several intermediate stops in Abidjan, Dakar, Agadir and Basel. The purpose of the flight was for maintenance as the n°4 engine was inoperative. En route, while cruising on the three remaining engines, the crew informed ATC that the engine n°3 caught fire. While descending to an altitude of 6,000 feet, the engine n°3 exploded and detached. The crew continued the approach but was unable to lower the undercarriage. A belly landing was completed at Abidjan Airport and the airplane slid on several dozen meters before coming to rest. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Fire and explosion on engine n°3 which detached in flight.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 Commando in Kinshasa: 45 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1969 at 0810 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

9T-PLJ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Kananga – Mbuji-Mayi

MSN:

26710

YOM:

1943

Location:

Kinshasa

Kinshasa City Province

Country:

Region:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Kinshasa-N’Djili Airport, the crew reported technical problems with the hydraulic systems and was cleared to return. To reduce weight, the pilot followed a holding pattern over the region when the airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Congo River. All 45 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident was not determined. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of a double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Kwamouth

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

MM52-6037

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Léopoldville – Coquilhatville

MSN:

11076

YOM:

1952

Flight number:

Lyra 22

Location:

Kwamouth

Bandundu

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered an unexpected situation en route and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in Kwamouth and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries. Cpt Farinelli.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4-1009 off Mpouya

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-4

Operator:

Registration:

YK-AAR

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Accra – Léopoldville

MSN:

43097

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While performing a cargo flight from Accra to Léopoldville, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines and elected to make an emergency landing. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft in the Congo River off Mpouya, about 230 km northeast of Léopoldville. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all 14 occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

Engine problems.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89B Dominie in Dakar

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Air Brousse

Registration:

OO-CJS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Léopoldville – Dakar

MSN:

6429

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on approach to Dakar Airport while on a flight from Léopoldville. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in Casablanca: 65 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1958 at 0425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-7

Operator:

Registration:

OO-SFA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Casablanca-Nouasseur (Mohammed V)

Schedule:

Brussels – Lisbon – Léopoldville

MSN:

45157

YOM:

1956

Location:

Grand Casablanca

Country:

Morocco

Region:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The Sabena flight, originating at Brussels, Belgium had departed Lisbon following an intermediate stop on a flight to Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), Belgian Congo. Vibration in the no. 1 engine forced the crew to shut it down. Casablanca ACC was advised that the flight wanted to make an emergency landing there. At 04:19 a runway 21 approach was attempted, but the aircraft did not touch down. Some 600 m past the runway threshold at a height of 5 m and with landing gear down and full flaps, full power was applied. The DC-7 then climbed in a sharp left turn. Reaching a height of 25 m, the plane stalled, crashed into buildings and caught fire. The correct procedure for going around would have been to apply full throttle only gradually attaining V2 speed; retracting the landing gear; and, at 115 kt, retracting the flaps from 50 to 20°.

Probable cause:

An error of judgement in re-application of power when the aircraft was neither in the appropriate configuration nor at a sufficient speed to carry out the attempted safety manoeuvre.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Kikwit

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Air Brousse

Registration:

OO-CMS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Léopoldville – Port-Francqui

MSN:

6902

YOM:

1945

Location:

Kikwit

Bandundu

Country:

Region: