Country
Democratic Republic of Congo
code

Katanga

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando in Maniamuna

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
HP-312
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
33381
YOM:
1945
Location:
Maniamuna
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, hijackers forced the crew to land in a remote area located in the region of Maniamuna, Katanga. The landing was completed properly and all occupants evacuated safely but the aircraft was set on fire by the hijackers and destroyed.
Probable cause:
Hijacked and destroyed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Albertville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
MM52-6014
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pisa – Entebbe – Albertville
MSN:
10911
YOM:
1952
Location:
Albertville
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a humanitarian flight from Pisa to Albertville with an intermediate stop at Entebbe on behalf of UNO. After touchdown at Albertville Airport, the crew started the braking procedure when one of the undercarriage struck a hole in the runway surface. On impact, the undercarriage was sheared off, control was lost and the airplane veered off runway before coming to rest in flames. Four crew members were killed while six other occupants were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 into Lake Upemba: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1961
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
KAT-20
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manono - Manono
MSN:
04103
Location:
Lake Upemba
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Manono on a bombing mission. Few minutes later, while flying over Lake Upemba, the airplane exploded in mid-air and crashed into the lake, killing all three occupants. It is believed that ammunition stored in the cabin exploded in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL in Albertville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KP-6
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
20884
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kalemie
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
At liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed onto the runway and came to rest in flames. The flight engineer was killed while five other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
A propeller blade detached from an engine at rotation and penetrated the cockpit, killing the flight engineer.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Kimbwe: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1948 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CBL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manono – Elisabethville
MSN:
12420
YOM:
1944
Location:
Elisabethville
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
3040
Circumstances:
On approach to Elisabethville in goo weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Kimbwe, few km northwest of E'ville Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as good with few clouds, no turbulence and good visibility.
Crew:
Arthur Deschamps, pilot,
Raoul Gousseau, pilot,
Englebert Rillaerts, flight engineer,
Antoine Tshisahu, steward.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the following assumptions have been ruled out: in flight fire, loss of element such as wing or stabilizer and/or any airframe vibration which might have come from a faulty weight balance.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Mitwaba: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CAR
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mitwaba – Manono
MSN:
2419
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mitwaba
Katanga
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Its is believed the aircraft suffered a dual engine failure.
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