Mbuji-Mayi

The crew completed the approach and landing on runway 17 in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. After touchdown on a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway 17 is 2,000 metres long). It overran and collided with several houses before coming to rest 300 metres further. All five crew members evacuated safely while eight people on the ground were killed.

The aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Goma to Mbuji-Mayi with a crew of 4 and a cargo consisting of fuel drums. The aircraft landed hard, causing both wings to break down. The undercarriage partially collapsed then the aircraft skidded for about 500 metres before coming to rest on the left side of the runway. A fire erupted in the rear of the cabin and the aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Mbuji-Mayi Airport, while climbing, the engine n°1 caught fire. The flight engineer elected to extinguish the fire but without success. The aircraft lost height then rolled to the left to an angle of 85°. The crew extended the flaps to 45° to maintain a rate of descent of 700 feet per minute but due to an asymmetric flap condition, the rate of descent increased to 1,500 feet per minute. After the aircraft rolled to the left to an angle of 110°, at a speed of 98 knots, the captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a prairie. All 23 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

During the takeoff roll, the captain heard a noise and suspected a technical problem so he decided to abandon the takeoff procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and struck an embankment. All 14 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the crew initiated the takeoff in an up-slope configuration while the takeoffs at Tshikapa Airport are normally completed in a down-slope configuration. The runway is 1,000 metres long.

Crashed upon landing for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crashed upon landing for undetermined reason. There were no casualties.