Incident Overview
An aircraft conducting a flight from Gbadolite to Kinshasa initiated a night approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. During the final approach segment, the crew failed to notice that the aircraft's altitude was too low. The aircraft subsequently struck trees and impacted the ground approximately 3 kilometers short of the runway.
Aircraft and Occupants
The aircraft was destroyed in the crash. All nine individuals on board lost their lives. Among the deceased were Mpinga Kasenda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Zaire Government; Patrice Mandoko Bingoto, General Manager of SNEL (Société Nationale d’Électricité); and two Tunisian diplomats.
Circumstances
The approach took place at night. No further details regarding weather conditions, air traffic control communications, or aircraft characteristics have been provided in the investigation source.