What happened
A cargo flight operating from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport was en route to Goma when the crew received notification from air traffic control regarding deteriorating weather conditions at the destination. Because landing at Goma was not feasible, the flight entered a holding pattern. Due to declining fuel levels, the crew elected to divert the flight to Gisenyi Airport in Rwanda.
Upon arriving at Gisenyi, the aircraft landed on runway 01/19, a strip measuring 1,000 metres in length. During the landing roll, the aircraft lost control and veered off the runway surface. The impact caused the aircraft to catch fire, which ultimately led to the total destruction of the airframe. Despite the intensity of the fire, all eight occupants—consisting of three crew members and five passengers—managed to evacuate the wreckage without any injuries.
Findings
- The decision to divert to Gisenyi was driven by low fuel reserves following a holding pattern necessitated by weather.
- The aircraft was transporting a cargo of telecommunications equipment for the company Celtel at the time of the accident.