Date & Time:
Feb 17, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Canadair CL-44
Operator:
Skymaster Freight Services
Registration:
9Q-CTS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mbuji-Mayi – Kinshasa
MSN:
25
YOM:
1961
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
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.
