2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash
| Company type | Airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Headquarters | Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Products | Air transport services |
Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence
The 2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 accident involved a twin-engine Antonov An-26 operated by the Congolese airline Africa One, which crashed and caught fire shortly after departing from N'djili Airport in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on 4 October 2007. The aircraft took off at 10:43 local time, heading eastward toward Tshikapa, approximately 650 kilometres (400 mi; 350 nmi) away.
Background
Reports varied regarding the operator, with some sources indicating El Sam Airlines or Malila Airlift as the carrier, while the aircraft itself was leased from Africa One. Both airlines are listed among those banned by the European Union, a designation that applies to nearly all Congolese carriers except one. The plane involved was an Antonov An-26 bearing registration number 9Q-COS.
This flight functioned as a commercial cargo operation and carried at least 28 individuals, including a five-member flight crew. Although the official manifest recorded 16 passengers, additional individuals boarded shortly before departure.
Crash
According to the Russian foreign ministry, the aircraft initially lost a propeller, after which one of its wings collided with an obstacle, causing the wing to detach before the plane crashed.[1] The aircraft struck a marketplace and finally came to a halt at a residence located at 77 Mayulu Avenue in the Kingasani neighborhood within the Kimbanseke commune. This accident resulted in the deaths of at least 30 individuals on the ground.[2] Early accounts indicated that everyone on board—including the Russian pilot, copilot, and flight engineer—perished; however, subsequent reports from Reuters suggested that an on-board mechanic survived,[1] while the Associated Press reported that a flight attendant also lived through the crash,[3] bringing the total number of survivors to two.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Mechanic's account
The only known surviving passenger was M. Dédé Ngamba, the on-board mechanic. In his own words (originally in French), he described the event as follows:
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.[4][lower-alpha 1]
Cause
The disaster resulted from a design defect compounded by the wear and tear of engine components and the aircraft's exterior, which had been subjected to prolonged operation on tropical routes.
Aftermath
This accident bore resemblance to the 1996 Air Africa crash, where an Antonov An-32 also failed to stop on the runway—though at Kinshasa's alternate facility, N'Dolo—leading to significant fatalities on the ground. The Democratic Republic of the Congo's aviation safety record has been labeled "an embarrassment" by the IATA, prompting the dismissal of Transport Minister Rémy Henri Kuseyo Gatanga by the President due to negligence in enforcing proper aviation safety regulations and protocols. One account suggests that the decision to lift the ban on Antonov flights over DRC airspace was not authorized by the Transport Minister himself but was instead made by the Minister of State to the Head of State.
On 19 October 2007, a formal Parliamentary inquiry committee was established to investigate the incident, chaired by Jean-Lucien Bussa with Lessendjina serving as vice-chair. The N'Djili prosecutor's office is actively handling the case.
Despite the imposed ban, an Antonov An-12 (registration ER-AXI) reportedly experienced a minor engine fire at Bangoka International Airport in Kisangani on 1 November 2007, according to Radio Okapi. Fortunately, no injuries occurred and damage was minimal.
Three months following the crash, Moscow extended economic assistance amounting to US$200,000 to those affected by the tragedy.
See also
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Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named2007 Antonov An-26 crash - ↑ "Plane Crashes in Congo, Killing 25". The New York Times. 2007-10-05.
- ↑ Digital Congo coverage (in French) Archived 2007-10-18 at the Wayback Machine 2007-10-05
Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2007
Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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