Incident Overview
An aircraft operating a humanitarian mission for the United Nations Organization departed Nairobi, Kenya, en route to Moba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The flight carried 18 passengers and 4 crew members. Upon touchdown at the destination, the left main landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway to the left. The aircraft came to rest in a marsh field adjacent to the runway.
Occupant and Aircraft Status
All 22 occupants evacuated the aircraft without injury. The aircraft itself sustained substantial damage and was declared beyond economical repair.
Circumstances of the Event
According to available information, the pilot-in-command was distracted during the final segment of the landing by the presence of pedestrians on the runway threshold. This distraction resulted in a hard landing, which likely contributed to the structural failure of the left main gear. The aircraft subsequently departed the prepared surface and stopped in soft terrain.