Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Thysville
Date & Time:
Jun 5, 1951
Registration:
ZS-ATV
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6914
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Leopoldville in the morning on a flight to Angola, carrying one passenger, an aerial photographer, and three crew members, one pilot, one navigator and one mechanic. En route, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and because the airplane was not equipped with radio communication system or radiocompas, the pilot decided to land at Thysville Airfield (now Mbanza-Ngungu). After the airplane was refueled, the pilot started the takeoff procedure from a grassy 593-meter long runway. The airplane rolled on the entire distance then rolled outside the runway, in tall grass, causing the right wheel to detach. The airplane continued to climb with a speed of 80 mph then started to descend as its speed was decreasing to 60 mph. In a constant left turn, the pilot attempted an emergency landing 4 km southwest of the airfield. The airplane came to a halt, bursting into flames. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Nevertheless, investigators have not ruled out the following two possibilities: the plane may have been overloaded, or the engine may have lacked power due to the type of fuel used, 60/120 menasol, a product typically used in gasoline stoves.
Final Report:
