On March 2, 2006, an Antonov AN-2 operated by Blue Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Lubanimanga, Democratic Republic of Congo in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft crashed during an attempted return to the departure airport following the onset of mechanical issues after takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A single-engine aircraft crashed near Lubanimanga during an attempted return to Tshikapa following technical issues after takeoff.
What happened
A flight departing from Tshikapa for Kamonya ended in an accident shortly after departure. The aircraft, carrying one pilot, five passengers, and various cargo, experienced mechanical issues only minutes after leaving the runway. In response to these technical difficulties, the pilot attempted to fly back toward the departure point.
During this return maneuver, the aircraft went down in the vicinity of Lubanimanga, located approximately 35 km from Tshikapa. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft due to a fire that ignited following the crash. All six occupants sustained serious injuries during the event.
Findings
The aircraft encountered technical difficulties shortly after takeoff.
The pilot attempted an emergency return to the origin airport.
A post-crash fire caused the destruction of the airframe.
Probable cause
The aircraft crashed during an attempted return to the departure airport following the onset of mechanical issues after takeoff.