Kinshasa City Province

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Tshikapa – Kinshasa

MSN:

13402

YOM:

1984

Location:

Kinshasa

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Kinshasa after delivering election equipments and materials in Tshikapa on behalf of the Independent National Election Commission. The crew was cleared to descend to 5,000 feet on approach to runway 06 at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport but encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls. In limited visibility, the airplane crashed on a hilly terrain located about 35 km west of the airport. The wreckage was found few hours later and all seven occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B near Kinshasa: 12 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 2017 at 0730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

EX-001

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Bukavu

MSN:

5 3 436 06

YOM:

1965

Location:

Kinshasa

Country:

Region:

Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft departed Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport on a flight to Bukavu, carrying ammunition and two vehicles. Few minutes after takeoff, the crew reported technical problems and was cleared for an immediate return. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a prairie located in Nsele, about 20 km northeast of the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Nov 1, 2015

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CNP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

164

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Canadair RegionalJet CRJ-100

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport, the crew reported technical problems with the undercarriage and was cleared to divert to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. A belly landing was completed on runway 24 and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres then veered off runway to the right and came to rest in a grassy area. All 26 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is believed that the left main gear was torn off upon takeoff from Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Canadair RegionalJet CRJ-100ER in Kinshasa: 32 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 2011 at 1356 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

4L-GAE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kisangani – Kinshasa

MSN:

7070

YOM:

1995

Flight number:

UNO834

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2811

Captain / Total hours on type:

1622.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

495

Copilot / Total hours on type:

344

Circumstances:

On final approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, the crew encountered very poor weather conditions and decided to make a go around. After a climb process of 12 seconds, the aircraft nosed down and at a speed of 180 knots, hit the ground 170 meters to the left of the displaced threshold of runway 24. The aircraft slid for 400 meters before coming to rest in flames upside down. Three passengers were seriously injured and evacuated but of them died from their injuries few hours later. Finally, only one passenger survived the accident. Aircraft was performing a special flight from Kisangani to Kinshasa on behalf of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The only survivor reported that the aircraft suddenly plunged into the earth while on final approach. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were marginal with storm activity, heavy rain showers, scattered at 2,200 feet and cumulonimbus at 1,500 feet.

Probable cause:

Weather in Kinshasa was bad at the time of the accident, ATC failed to inform the crew about the degradation of the weather conditions and the runway in use was not closed to traffic while the visibility was below the minima. Despite this situation, the crew took the decision to continue the approach procedure while the aircraft was unstable and the approach speed was too high (180 knots). It is reported that the following factors contributed to the accident:
- the crew ignored the published approach procedures,
- improper crew resources management during the execution of the flight,
- during the go around process, the crew encountered adverse weather conditions with vertical wind gusts, downdrafts and a 'magenta' effect. This caused the aircraft to adopt nose down attitude while it was in the final stage of the flight, preventing the pilot to take over the control,
- the pilot training program was inadequate and did not include a proportionate number of flight in the simulator,
- the authority for civil aviation of Georgia has probably approved a small training program for upgrading the captain to his position,
- lack of oversight of the operator by the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority.
In conclusion, investigators believe that the most probable cause of the accident is the fact that the plane encountered a very dangerous meteorological phenomena similar to a microburst, to a very low level during the overshoot process. The dangerous vertical downdraft and gust caused a sudden and remarkable change in the attitude of the aircraft and a substantial loss of altitude. Flying at very low altitude, recovery of such disturbance was not possible.

Final Report:

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Jun 21, 2010 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

McDonnell Douglas MD-82

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-COQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Lubumbashi

MSN:

49178/1122

YOM:

1983

Flight number:

EO601

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

103

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, a tyre burst on the left main gear. After liftoff, while in initial climb, the crew was forced to shut down the left engine while the hydraulic system failed. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared for an immediate return. On approach, he was unable to lower the nose gear due to the malfunction of the hydraulic system. After touchdown on runway 06, the aircraft rolled for a distance of 1,000 metres then veered off runway to the right, slid on a grassy area and came to rest 500 metres further. All 110 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

A tyre burst on the left main gear during the takeoff procedure. Debris damaged hydraulic lines and were ingested in the left engine that should be shut down.

Crash of a Boeing 727-231F in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Jan 2, 2010

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 727-200

Operator:

Registration:

9Q-CAA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

21986/1580

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. After touchdown on runway 06, the aircraft passed through standing water when control was lost. It veered off runway to the right, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a grassy area. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Kinshasa: 49 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 2007 at 1040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

El Sam Airlift

Registration:

9Q-COS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa – Tshikapa – Kananga

MSN:

8807

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, while climbing, the right engine failed. The aircraft stalled, hit tree tops and crashed onto several houses located in Kingasani neighbourhood. A crew member survived while 21 other occupants and at least 28 people on ground were killed. The Ministry of Transport was sacked after the accident due to inability to reform all aviation problem existing in DRC. The present accident is the worst occurring in DRC since 8 January 1996 when an Antonov AN-32 crashed also in Kinshasa, killing 237 people.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Apr 14, 2006 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

9T-TCB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinshasa - Kinshasa

MSN:

4416

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a test flight on this aircraft that was parked for 10 years at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. On landing, the left main gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The General Kikunda Ombala was PIC at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Beechcraft 1900C-1 in Kinshasa

Date & Time: Apr 29, 2003 at 1930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 1900C

Operator:

Registration:

TR-LFQ

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Brazzaville - Kinshasa

MSN:

UC-80

YOM:

1989

Location:

Country:

Region: