What happened
During a special flight from Kisangani to Kinshasa, the crew attempted to land at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. While on final approach, the flight encountered adverse weather conditions characterized by heavy rain, storm activity, and low-level cumulonimbus clouds. Due to these visibility and weather constraints, the crew initiated a go-around procedure.
Approximately 12 seconds into the climb, the aircraft experienced a sudden nose-down movement. Traveling at 180 knots, the aircraft impacted the ground roughly 170 meters to the left of the displaced threshold of runway 24. Following the impact, the aircraft slid for 400 meters before coming to rest in an inverted position, where it caught fire.
Of the passengers on board, only one person survived the impact. While three passengers initially sustained serious injuries and were evacuated for medical treatment, one of those individuals later succumbed to their injuries.
Findings
At the time of the accident, the local weather was marginal, featuring heavy rain showers and scattered cloud layers at 2,200 feet, with cumulonimbus clouds present at 1,500 feet. The sudden nose-down pitch during the go-around maneuver led to the impact with the terrain.