Africa

The twin engine airplane departed Juba Airport on a cargo flight to Leer, carrying three crew members and humanitarian food assistance from Samaritan’s Purse to flood-affected communities in Southern Unity State. While approaching the destination, it crashed in unknown circumstances 20 km north of Leer Airfield and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.

Chartered by the DRC Government, the airplane was carrying a delegation of the Ministry of Mines who was flying from Kinshasa to Kolwezi to meet local government following a recent incident in the mine of Kalando. After departure from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, a stop was made in Lubumbashi. Upon landing on runway 29 at Kolwezi Airport, both main landing gear were sheared off. The airplane slid for few hundred metres then veered off runway to the left and came to a halt perpendicularly to the runway, bursting into flames. All 29 occupants, 26 passengers and three crew members, escaped without injuries before the airplane would be destroyed by fire. At the time of the accident, the first portion of 1,000 metres of the runway 29 was in a resurfacing process. A Notam was published, informing crew that the runway 29 threshold was displaced of 1,000 metres, offering a landing distance available of 1,500 metres. The airplane overflew the portion under construction but landed before the displaced threshold, causing both main landing gear to be sheared off.

While on a supply mission to the Sudanese Armed Forces, the airplane was apparently shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in an uninhabited area located near Babanusa. All five crew members were killed.

Few minutes after takeoff from Ukunda-Diani Airfield, the single engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in Kwale, some 17 km northwest of the departure airport. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed, among them 10 tourists (eight Hungarians and two Germans) en route to the Masai Mara National Park.

Upon landing at night on runway 04 at Nyala Airport, the airplane was shot down by Sudan Armed Forces. The airplane veered off runway to the left and crashed in a ditch located 900 metres past the runway threshold, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 19 occupants were killed, among them 17 members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) including Abdul Rahim Wad Abuk, uncle of Hemedti, commander of the RSF. Sudan Government reported the airplane was shot down because suspected of carrying weapons and army equipment on behalf of the rebels. It is believed that the airplane was still operated with the registration N726CK while registered to a Kenyan Operator with 7Q registration (Malawi).

For unknown reasons, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane landed in an open field, collided with a barn fence and came to rest. Both crew members were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Approaching Kisangani, the single engine airplane descended into trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located 34 km of Kisangani, bursting into flames. A passenger was seriously injured and six other occupants were killed. The airplane was ferried to Kisangani to be subject to a technical inspection by the Authority to officially authorize the operation of the aircraft in accordance with the regulations in force. According to Authorities, the control tower at Kisangani Airport was unaware of this flight.

The airplane departed Nairobi-Wilson Airport Runway 14 at 1417LT on an ambulance flight to Hargeisa, Somalia. On board were two medical crew and two pilots. About three minutes after takeoff, while climbing, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the district of Mwihoko, some 22 km northeast of Wilson Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all four occupants were killed as well as two people on the ground.

The twin engine airplane departed Harare-Robert Gabriel Mugabe Airport on a charter flight to a safari camp, carrying eight tourists and two pilots. En route, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing in Kanyemba, north Zimbabwe, near the borders with Mozambique and Zambia. Upon landing on rough terrain, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Parked on the main tarmac at Nyala Airport, the airplane was shot down by the Sudanese Army and exploded. It was totally destroyed and all 20 occupants (90 from other sources) were killed, two pilots and 18 military personnel from the UAE. The Sudanese Government suspected the airplane to be involved in an illegal transport of military equipment and personnel for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Crew:
Cpt Michael George Oluoch Nyamodi, pilot,
Samson Ohide, copilot.