Zone
Ituri

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Goma

Date & Time: Sep 10, 2017 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Registration:
9S-AFL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Goma – Bunia
MSN:
140 03
YOM:
1985
Location:
Goma
Nord-Kivu
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Goma Airport, while on a cargo flight to Bunia, the crew reported technical problems with the right engine and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. The crew landed long (about half way down the runway) and after touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and while contacting lava ground, the right main gear and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest with its right wing bent and all four crew members evacuated safely.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Mt Margherita: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 2006 at 0647 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-ADL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Goma - Bunia
MSN:
208B-0381
YOM:
1994
Location:
Mt Margherita
Western
Country:
Uganda
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Goma on a humanitarian flight to Bunia, carrying one passenger, two pilots and a load consisting of 300 kilos of various goods on behalf of the World Food Programme. En route, the crew decided to follow a direct route via GPS instead of the one mentioned on the flight plan. While cruising at an altitude of 12,500 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Margherita (5,109 metres high) located in the Ruwenzori Mountain Range, western Uganda. The wreckage was found two days later and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew failed to follow the prescribed route and executed a direct route over the mountains at an unsafe altitude in poor visibility due to weather.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Aru: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 2005
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CWC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kisangani – Bunia
MSN:
2 40 09 01
YOM:
1962
Location:
Aru
Ituri
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
96
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Kisangani on a flight to Bunia, carrying 96 soldiers and four crew members on behalf of the Congolese Army Forces. Upon landing at Aru Airstrip, the right main gear collapsed and the aircraft veered to the left and came to rest on the left side of the runway. Two soldiers were killed while walking into the still running propellers. Eleven people were injured.

Crash of a Let L-410A near Geti: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 2001 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
5X-CNF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bunia – Beni – Entebbe
MSN:
73 02 08
YOM:
1973
Location:
Geti
Orientale
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Bunia to Beni, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine airplane crashed in a wooded and hilly terrain located near Geti, some 40 km east of Bunia. All six occupants were killed. The exact cause of the accident remains unknown but the aircraft may have been shot down by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels fighting the Uganda government.

Crash of a Vickers 781D Viscount near Bunia: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Bazair
Registration:
9Q-CWL
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bunia - Kisangani
MSN:
280
YOM:
1958
Location:
Bunia
Ituri
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bunia Airport, the captain informed ATC about engine problems and reported fire in the cabin. Shortly later, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed about 40 km southwest of Bunia, in the region of Irumu. All 23 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Bunia

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
RA-13340
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kinshasa – Bunia
MSN:
00 347 504
YOM:
1970
Location:
Bunia
Orientale
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Bunia Airport, the crew started the braking procedures when animals came on runway. The captain decided to initiated a go-around procedures and increased power on all four engines. On his part, the instructor decided to continue the landing procedure and put the engine to idle. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest 400 metres further, bursting into flames. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Poor approach and landing planning on part of the crew. Poor crew coordination after landing.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando in Bunia

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
SE-CFG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26710
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bunia
Orientale
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
11271
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a humanitarian flight on behalf of the United Nations Organization (UNO). On short final, the airplane was too low and struck a sand pile with its left main gear. The pilot-in-command continued the approach and completed the landing. After the aircraft was stopped, it was checked and eventually decided it was declared as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the crew who continued the final approach at an insufficient altitude.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster in Bunia: 35 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1960 at 0755 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SBL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brussels – Rome – Cairo – Bunia – Usumbura – Elisabethville
MSN:
3099
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bunia
Ituri
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Captain / Total hours on type:
6462.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2764
Aircraft flight hours:
30594
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Cairo, the crew started the descent to Bunia. Nevertheless, visibility was poor due to a low ceiling. On final approach, the four engine airplane impacted the slope of the Bogoro Peak located 8 km short of runway. The wreckage was found 100 metres below the summit and all 35 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred because the pilot, the captain, carried out a descent while the height of cloud base (ceiling) was below the minimum required by the Administration and the Operator.
The following findings were identified:
- Seeing that the weather was rapidly deteriorating below minima, the captain should have decided to divert. The ceiling dropped from 16,000 to 700 feet in two hours and 30 minutes. It was between 700 and 800 feet at the time of the accident, which was below minima.
- The captain should have noticed the abnormally long time elapsing between exiting the procedural turn and passing the locator (a distance of 8 kilometers), which, at an approach speed of 220 km/h (120 knots), amounts to no more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- A combination of unforeseen circumstances made the pilot’s carelessness fatal. It is highly likely, in fact, that if the VHF had not failed at the start of the procedure, the airfield operator could have warned the pilot that the beacon was out of service, and the pilot would not have continued the procedure. The operator at the Stanleyville Protection Office can be blamed for serious negligence for failing to relay to the aircraft the latest weather report from Bunia (at 7:50 a.m.): 8/8 stratus at 200 metres. He was not required to determine whether this communication was useful or not. This latest communication was of great importance at the time the pilot was in the procedure.
- It is regrettable that Bunia, being a regular stopover airport for DC-3s, DC-4s, and CV-440s, is not a controlled airport.
Final Report:
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