What happened
While operating a flight from Kinshasa toward Tshikapa, the aircraft experienced a mechanical malfunction involving the loss of power in one of its engines. In response to this emergency, the crew elected to divert the flight to the Kandala Airstrip, located southeast of the Bandundu province.
Upon attempting to land at the small airfield, the aircraft could not decelerate sufficiently before reaching the end of the runway. The plane overran the landing strip and subsequently caught fire upon impact. The accident resulted in 30 fatalities and left six passengers injured.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified that the primary factor leading to the crash was an engine failure during flight, though the specific underlying reason for the mechanical malfunction remains undetermined.