Date & Time:
Feb 4, 1952 at 1207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CBN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Costermansville – Léopoldville
MSN:
13450
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
SN425
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
12
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
6940
Circumstances:
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 15 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Michael Joseph Adendorff, pilot,
Pierre Bisschop, radio navigator,
Willy Fauck, mechanic.
Passengers:
Françoise Devos,
Pierre Devos
Mercédès Dumont,
André Hubens,
Albert Lemaire,
Mrs. Albert Lemaire,
Claude Lemaire,
Anne-Marie Lemaire,
Norman Orne,
André Paquay,
Mrs. André Paquay,
Jacqueline Sailliez.
Crew:
Michael Joseph Adendorff, pilot,
Pierre Bisschop, radio navigator,
Willy Fauck, mechanic.
Passengers:
Françoise Devos,
Pierre Devos
Mercédès Dumont,
André Hubens,
Albert Lemaire,
Mrs. Albert Lemaire,
Claude Lemaire,
Anne-Marie Lemaire,
Norman Orne,
André Paquay,
Mrs. André Paquay,
Jacqueline Sailliez.
Probable cause:
The propeller blade severed the cables used to control the elevator, which explains the loss of control. Investigations indicate that the sudden shutdown of the right engine was caused by the upper half of the main connecting rod head becoming jammed between the crankshaft counterweight and the crankcase at the opening of cylinder n°14. The initial cause of the malfunctions observed was the fracture of a lug on piston n°6.
Final Report:
OO-CBN.pdf19.2 MB
