On April 25, 2003, an Antonov AN-26 operated by Private Congolese was involved in an aviation accident near Beni-Mavivi, Democratic Republic of Congo during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft overran the runway after a late touchdown during an unauthorized nighttime landing at an unequipped airport. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft attempted a nighttime landing at an unequipped airport, resulting in a runway overrun and collision with trees.
What happened
During a nighttime arrival at Beni Airport, the crew attempted to land despite the facility lacking the necessary equipment for nocturnal operations. During the landing sequence, the aircraft touched down too far along the runway, preventing the crew from stopping within the paved surface. This led to a runway excursion where the plane overran the end of the strip and struck several trees.
There were 10 people on board at the time of the incident. While the impact caused significant damage to the airframe, rendering it a total loss, all occupants managed to evacuate the wreckage. The incident resulted in various injuries among the passengers and crew, though no fatalities were reported.
Findings
The landing was attempted at night at an airport that is not configured for night-time flight operations.
The primary factor in the excursion was the late touchdown position on the runway, which left insufficient distance for deceleration.
Probable cause
The aircraft overran the runway after a late touchdown during an unauthorized nighttime landing at an unequipped airport.