2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash

2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash

Antonov An-26 at the Radom Air Show
Accident summary
Date	October 4, 2007
Summary	Under investigation
Site	Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4°24′S 15°25′E / 4.40°S 15.41°ECoordinates: 4°24′S 15°25′E / 4.40°S 15.41°E
Passengers	unknown (16 in the flight manifest)
Crew	5
Fatalities	51 (including 31 on the ground)
Injuries (non-fatal)	At least 30
Survivors	1 (possibly 2)
Aircraft type	Antonov An-26
Operator	Malift Air
Registration	9Q-COS

The 2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash occurred when a twin engine Antonov An-26, belonging to the Congolese air carrier Africa One, crashed and burned shortly after takeoff from N'djili Airport in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on October 4, 2007. The flight left N'djili at 10:43 local time bound for Tshikapa, a distance of 650 km to the east.^[1][2]

Background

The flight was variously reported as operated by El Sam Airlines or Malila Airlift, with the aircraft leased from Africa One. Both carriers are on the list of air carriers banned in the EU, as are all but one of the Congolese airlines. The aircraft was an Antonov An-26, registered 9Q-COS.^[3]

The flight was a commercial cargo flight carrying at least 28, including a flight crew of five.^[4] The flight manifest stated that there were 16 passengers aboard, but more boarded the flight shortly before takeoff.

Crash

The Russian foreign ministry reports that the aircraft lost a propeller, then a wing struck an obstacle, shearing the wing off prior to crashing.^[3] Striking a market before coming to rest at a residence at 77 Mayulu Av in the Kingasani district of the Kimbanseke commune, at least 49 people on the ground were killed. The reports of survivors are conflicting: initial reports had all aboard killed, including the Russian pilot, copilot and flight engineer, yet later Reuters reported that an on-board mechanic survived,^[3] while Associated Press claims a flight attendant also survived,^[5] bringing the total number of survivors to two.

Mechanic's account

Kinshasa International Airport

The on-board mechanic, M. Dédé Ngamba, was possibly the sole surviving passenger. His description (in French) was,

Nous avons décollé après trois minutes de taxi. Aussitôt, j’ai constaté que l’avion s’est mis à tanguer. L’effort du pilote de faire monter l’avion est demeuré vain. C’est alors que l’hôtesse m’a dit de mettre la ceinture de sécurité. En ce moment, l’avion a commencé à voler plus bas et il a percuté un palmier et perdu une aile. Ensuite, il a commencé à percuter des maisons. Tous les colis des marchandises qui étaient à bord ont fait mouvement vers l’avant de l’avion. J’ai aperçu à côté de moi un trou par lequel je suis sorti sans savoir comment, et je suis tombé sur une flaque d’eau sablonneuse. J’ai pu alors contempler les flammes de l’avion qui consumait. Il ne s’agissait pas d’un poids exagéré. C’est une simple défaillance mécanique.^[6]

This translates loosely to the following:

We had taken off after taxiing for three minutes. At once, I noted that the plane started to pitch. The effort of the pilot to right the plane remained vain. At this point in time the stewardess told me to put on my seat belt. At that time, the plane started to fly low and it struck a palm tree and lost a wing. Then it started to strike houses. All the parcels of goods which were on board shifted toward the front of the plane. I noticed beside me a hole by which I left without knowing how, and I fell into a mud puddle. I then could contemplate the flames which consumed the plane. It was not about excess weight. It's a simple mechanical failure.

Aftermath

The DRC has an aviation safety track record that has been dubbed "an embarrassment" by the IATA and the Transport Minister Rémy Henri Kuseyo Gatanga has been fired by the president for culpable negligence in failing to enforce adequate standards and procedures for aviation safety management.^[7][8][9] One source indicates that the lifting of the Transport Minister's ban on Antonov flights over DRC territory was not by his order but rather that of the Minister of State to the Head of State.^[10]

A formal Parliamentary commission of inquiry was convened 19 October 2007, with Jean-Lucien Bussa as President and Lessendjina as Vice-president. The prosecutor's office of N'Djili is seized of the matter.^[11]

Notwithstanding the ban, another Antonov (this one an An-12 registered as ER-AXI) was reported by Radio Okapi to have had a minor motor fire at Bangoka International Airport at Kisangani early in the afternoon of 1 November 2007. No injuries and minor damage were reported.^[12]

Three months after the crash, Moscow offered US$200,000 in economic aid to the injured parties.^[13]

See also

• 2002 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash

References

1. "Flames hold up rescuers at DR Congo plane crash". Agence France-Presse via Google News. 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
2. "Death toll from Congo plane crash rises to 39; transport minister fired". Associated Press via International Herald Tribune. 2007-10-04. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
3. Bavier, Joe (2007-10-05). "Congo crash toll over 50, but survivor found". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
4. "Kinshasa, the victims of the crash are at least 50". Avionews. 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
5. "Plane Crashes in Congo, Killing 25". New York Times. 2007-10-05.
6. Digital Congo coverage (in French) 2007-10-05
7. Bavier, Joe. "Crash d'un Antonov 26 à Kinshasa: Un " cercueil volant " a encore tué hier à Kingasani" (in French). Le Potentiel. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
8. "Révocation du ministre des Transports en retombées de la catastrophe du crash d'Antonov survenu à Kinshasa" (in French). Digital Congo. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
9. "Old DR Congo aircraft 'still flying' after crash". Agence France Press. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
10. "press summary". MONUC. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
11. "La Commission d'enquête de l'Assemblée nationale sur le crash d'Antonov à Kingasani à pied d'œuvre" (in French). Digital Congo. 2007-10-23. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
12. "Kisangani: un Antonov en feu, pas de victimes" (in French). Radio Okapi. 2007-11-01. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
13. "Crash de Kingasani : Moscou offre 200 000 Usd aux sinistrés" (in French). Kinshasa: Digital Congo. 2008-01-22. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2008.