What happened
Shortly after departing from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport for a flight destined for Bukavu, a four-engine aircraft encountered mechanical issues. The flight was transporting two vehicles and a cargo of ammunition at the time of the incident. Following the emergence of these technical difficulties, the crew notified air traffic control and received authorization to perform an immediate return to the departure airport.
During the attempted return, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. The plane impacted a prairie area situated in Nsele, approximately 20 km northeast of the airport. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire that consumed the wreckage. There were 12 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced technical problems shortly after takeoff.
- The descent into the Nsele region was uncontrolled.