Runway excursion and residential collision during heavy rain

8 fatalities • Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo • Landing (descent or approach)

An aircraft overran the runway during landing in poor weather, resulting in a collision with several houses and eight fatalities on the ground.

What happened

During an approach to runway 17, the crew encountered challenging weather conditions characterized by heavy rainfall. Upon landing on the wet runway surface, the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently within the available 2,000-meter runway length. The aircraft subsequently exited the paved surface and traveled into a residential area, striking multiple houses. The vehicle eventually came to a stop approximately 300 meters beyond the end of the runway.

While the five crew members on board were able to evacuate the aircraft without injury, the impact with the structures resulted in a significant loss of life on the ground. The incident resulted in eight fatalities among the residents of the impacted houses.

Probable cause

The aircraft was unable to stop on the wet runway surface due to insufficient braking distance during heavy rain.

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2015-12-24 Airbus A310 accident near Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo?

An aircraft overran the runway during landing in poor weather, resulting in a collision with several houses and eight fatalities on the ground.

Were there any fatalities in the 2015-12-24 Airbus A310 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 8 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2015-12-24 involved a Airbus A310, registration 9Q-CVH, operated by Serve Air, at Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft was unable to stop on the wet runway surface due to insufficient braking distance during heavy rain.

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