Bandundu

An unexpected situation forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in Kikwit. The airplane was damaged beyond repair while all six occupants escaped uninjured.

The approach to Kahemba was completed in heavy rain falls when the wipers failed. The airplane went out of control and crashed few km from the airfield. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

At 1205LT, while overflying the Kasai province, the aircraft suffered a technical problem on the right engine where a propeller blade separated and went through the cabin. The airplane went out of control, nosed down and crashed two minutes later in the forest of Dibata located about 20 km from Kikwit. All 16 occupants were killed.

The aircraft, dedicated to the French Governor Edouard Renard based in Brazzaville, was delivered in Bangui 8 February 1935. On the morning of March 15, the airplane departed Brazzaville Airport with three passengers and a crew of four. The goal of the trip was a general tour of the country to allow the new Governor to familiarize himself with the country. While flying east of the Congo River, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located some 50 km southeast of Bolobo, Congo. The airplane created a trench of about 180 metres and disintegrated on impact. In the evening, the airplane was declared as missing and SAR operations were initiated. The wreckage was spotted four days later by the pilot of a Sabena airplane. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Gaulard, pilot,
Adj/C Ditte, pilot,
Sgt/C Saune, mechanic,
Sgt Guitard, radio operator.
Passengers:
General Edouard Renard,
Mrs. Edouard Renard,
Cdt Alfred Bonningue.