Accident Summary
A cargo aircraft operating a flight from Kinshasa to Kahemba crashed during takeoff, resulting in a high number of casualties on the ground. The aircraft was carrying two passengers, four crew members, and a load of food and basic necessities.
Sequence of Events
During the takeoff roll at a speed of 204 km/h, the pilot-in-command pulled up the control column to initiate rotation, but the aircraft failed to respond. The crew decided to abort the takeoff, but this decision was made too late. Unable to stop within the remaining runway distance of 1,700 metres, the aircraft overran the runway, rolled for about 240 metres, and came to rest in the district of Simbazikita, where it burst into flames.
Casualties and Injuries
A crew member was killed, while the other five occupants (including the remaining crew and the two passengers) were injured. On the ground, at least 297 people were killed and 253 others were injured, some seriously.
Operational and Regulatory Context
The aircraft was operated by African Air and leased from Moscow Airways. The flight was operated illegally on behalf of Scibe-Airlift, which was not concerned about such operation. The certificate of airworthiness had expired the previous December, and the aircraft was not authorized to fly.
Probable Cause
It was determined that the aircraft was unable to take off because its total weight at the time of the accident was well above the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW). Due to lack of evidence, investigations were unable to determine the exact value of the excess mass, which was probably between 2 and 7 tons. Additionally, the decision of the crew to abort the takeoff procedure was taken too late, and the runway length was insufficient.