What happened
On the final leg of a multi-stop journey, an aircraft departed from Saurimo destined for Luanda. The flight was the third segment of the day's operations, following earlier departures from Dundo and Lucapa. The aircraft was transporting a total of 49 occupants, consisting of 44 passengers and a crew of five.
Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, while the aircraft was maintaining its cruising altitude, it was struck by a surface-to-air missile. This impact caused the plane to enter an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft subsequently crashed in an open field situated in the vicinity of Mona Quimbundo. The wreckage was located roughly 50 km southwest of Saurimo. There were 49 fatalities resulting from the accident.
Findings
Investigations indicate that the primary factor in the loss of the aircraft was the impact of a surface-to-air missile during the cruise phase of the flight.