Democratic Republic of Congo

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa - Boma

MSN:

9 31 13 26

YOM:

1973

Location:

Boma

Kongo-Central

Country:

Region:

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

27402

Aircraft flight cycles:

22752

Circumstances:

The aircraft landed 45 metres past the runway 21 threshold at Boma Airfield (runway 21 is 1,082 metres long). The crew started the braking procedure and both engines n°1 & 3 were shut down after a course of about 400-500 metres. At a distance of 200 metres from the runway end, the captain elected to veer to the right to avoid an overrun when the aircraft went down an embankment and came to rest in a 8 metres deep ravine, bursting into flames. Four people were injured and five others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed at an excessive speed. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor efficient braking,
- The aircraft speed upon landing was exceeding the aircraft flight manual,
- Uncoordinated actions of the crew on the application of the main and emergency braking that were used simultaneously which is non compliant with published procedures,
- Erroneous shutdown of the central engine (n°2) during the first half of run.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 King Air in Kinshasa: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1994 at 0045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CTG

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Gbadolite - Kinshasa

MSN:

BB-629

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Trans Service Airlift - TSA

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188A Electra in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-188 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CCV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1126

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing, the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft slid on its belly and eventually came to rest on the runway. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The nose gear collapsed on landing for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Learjet 24D in Kinshasa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 24

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CBC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cotonou - Kinshasa

MSN:

24-248

YOM:

1972

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was cleared for a night visual approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. Weather conditions were good with a visibility over 10 km. On approach, ATC asked the crew to turn on the approach lights. Shortly later, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed 20 km short of runway 24 threshold. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander in Mitwaba

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Shabair

Registration:

9Q-CLW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kisengwa - Mitwaba

MSN:

2030

YOM:

1981

Location:

Mitwaba

Katanga

Country:

Region:

Trans Service Airlift - TSA

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Mitwaba Airfield, the pilot was completing a last turn to join the approach path when the aircraft stalled and crashed on hilly terrain about 3 km short of runway. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of strong downdrafts and severe atmospheric turbulences specific to this region.

Crash of a Nord 262A-44 in Kinshasa: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Nord 262

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CJK

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa - Tembo

MSN:

YOM:

1965

Location:

Kinshasa-Ndolo

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport on a cargo flight to Tembo, carrying 18 passengers, three crew members and a load of diamonds for a total price of 150 M of Zaire. Just after liftoff, at a height of one metre, both engines lost power. The captain decided to land back on runway and initiated an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran at high speed, rolled through a road where it struck several vehicles and eventually came to rest, bursting into flames. Six passengers and eight people on the ground were killed while other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was overloaded and that both engines lost power at liftoff.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 400M near Goma: 37 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CBH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kindu - Goma

MSN:

10649

YOM:

1983

Flight number:

ZM140

Location:

Goma

Nord-Kivu

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Goma, while cruising at FL190, the crew was cleared to descent successively to FL150, FL110 then FL085. Preparing for an approach to runway 36, the crew descended prematurely when, at an altitude of 8,800 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 40 km southwest of Goma. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

For unknown reasons, the crew failed to follow the published approach procedures and initiated the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to struck the ground. The minimum altitude of 8,500 feet could be reached only after the last turn completed between 19 and 25 km from the runway threshold.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-10-DC Skymaster in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

GLM Aviation

Registration:

9Q-CWP

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

10337

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Zaire Air Force - Force Aérienne Zaïroise

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Suffered an accident at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport following an engine failure. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, somewhere in 1991.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Kinkole: 20 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

9T-TCG

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Gbadolite

MSN:

4736

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region: