SABENA - Société Anonyme Belge d&#039;Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CBN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Costermansville – Léopoldville

MSN:

13450

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

SN425

Location:

Kikwit

Bandundu

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 16 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The control cables in the fuselage were sheared by the right propeller which had been projected following a shaft failure caused by the sudden stopping of the engine caused by fatigue failure of No. 6 piston lug.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-455 in Gao: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1951 at 0545 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CBA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Brussels – Gao – Léopoldville

MSN:

6327

YOM:

1942

Location:

Gao

Country:

Mali

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from runway 25, while climbing to a height of 10 meters, the airplane turn sharply to the left and climbed to a height of 30 meters when it turn again to the left. It then lost altitude and hit the ground with its left wing tip, crashing into flames. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the right engine failed shortly after rotation due to hydraulic failure. Meanwhile, hydraulic fluid spurted on the cockpit windshield, temporarily reducing the visibility of the pilots who lost control of the aircraft.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Aulnay-sous-Bois: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1949 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AUQ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Paris – Brussels

MSN:

10241

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Paris-Le Bourget Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed onto a house located in Aulnay-sous-Bois, about 4 km southeast of the airfield. All eight occupants were killed while there were no casualties on the ground. It appears that control was lost following the failure of a wing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Kinshasa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1949 at 0745 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CBK

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

City

Schedule:

Léopoldville – Elisabethville

MSN:

14600/26045

YOM:

1944

Location:

Kinshasa-Ndolo

Kinshasa City Province

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered problems to gain height. The captain started to turn to the right when the aircraft stalled and crashed inverted near the airport. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while 15 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of power on both engines after liftoff due to the fact that the fuel was contaminated with water. It was determined that a certain amount of water was in the tank at the time of the accident. In addition, the spark plugs were dirty and the electrical contact was poor.

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

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1948 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CBL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Manono – Elisabethville

MSN:

12420

YOM:

1944

Location:

Elisabethville

Katanga

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 Douglas DC-4-1009 in Magazini: 31 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1948 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-4

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CBE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Johannesburg – Léopoldville – Libenge – Brussels

MSN:

42932

YOM:

1946

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft left Léopoldville Airport at 0805LT bound for Libenge. About three hours later, as he started the descent to Libenge, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, low clouds and turbulence. While descending at an altitude of 700 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located near the village of Magazini, some 27 km south of Libenge. A passenger was seriously injured while 31 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by severe turbulence and/or downdraft while flying in poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in London-Heathrow: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1948 at 2114 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AWH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site: