What happened
A flight operating from Luanda to Lisbon, which included a scheduled stopover in São Tomé, ended in a fatal accident during the departure phase. While the aircraft was performing its initial climb following takeoff, it encountered intense rainfall. During this ascent, the plane experienced an aerodynamic stall and crashed a short distance from the airfield.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 23 people, comprising all four crew members and 19 passengers. Additionally, 14 other occupants sustained injuries during the impact.
Findings
Preliminary assessments suggest that the aircraft was operating with an excessive payload at the time of the accident. This weight imbalance is believed to have contributed to the loss of control during the climb through heavy precipitation.