Date & Time:
Feb 8, 1999
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-188 Electra
Operator:
Blue Airlines
Registration:
9Q-CDI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Kinshasa - Mbandaka
MSN:
1037
YOM:
1959
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Kinshasa to Mbandaka on behalf of the Congolese Armed Forces, carrying seven crew members and a load of fuel drums, ammunitions and bombs. After takeoff from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, while climbing, the captain informed ATC about the failure of the engine n°3 and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. The aircraft went out of control and crashed three minutes after takeoff on a building owned by the Congolese Electricity Company and located near the airport. All seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine n°3 after takeoff for unknown reasons. It was reported that the copilot failed to show up so the captain was the only pilot and he asked the flight engineer to take the copilot seat and a ground mechanic to perform the flight engineer duties.
