On January 2, 1995, a Boeing 737-200 (registration 9Q-CNI) operated by Air Zaïre was involved in an aviation accident near Kinshasa-N'Djili, Democratic Republic of Congo during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft suffered a nose gear collapse due to a heavy, nose-first impact during landing in poor weather. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
An aircraft sustained significant damage after a hard landing at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport during adverse weather conditions.
What happened
During an approach to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, the aircraft encountered unfavorable weather conditions. As the flight progressed toward the runway, the aircraft experienced a heavy impact upon touchdown, striking the ground in a nose-first orientation. This forceful landing caused the immediate collapse of the nose landing gear.
The aircraft eventually came to a complete stop following the impact. While the incident resulted in no fatalities or injuries, the structural damage sustained during the event was severe enough that the aircraft was declared a total loss.
Findings
The landing occurred amidst poor meteorological conditions.
The primary factor in the structural failure was a hard, nose-first impact during the landing phase.
Probable cause
The aircraft suffered a nose gear collapse due to a heavy, nose-first impact during landing in poor weather.
