Incident
On a scheduled service from Kalima Airport to Bukavu, an airplane carrying two passengers and two pilots crashed while approaching Bukavu. The crew encountered poor visibility due to dry mist. Seven minutes prior to the estimated time of arrival, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area on Mount Kahuzi, which is 3,317 meters high, within the Kahuzi-Miega National Park. The wreckage was found about 15 kilometers northwest of the airport. All four occupants were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation into the accident identified several causal and contributing factors. The probable causes were determined to be human error, non-compliance with meteorological alerts, and non-compliance with the specified flight altitude for the mountainous area. The report noted that during the dry season, from the beginning of June to the end of August, dry mist can reduce visibility to zero in that region.
Contributing Factors
Contributing factors included a sudden break in communication between the controller and the pilot just after the first contact. The pilot's last transmission was, "I am 15 nautical miles from your station (Airport) and I estimate arrival at 1342 TU." This was his first and only contact during the flight from Kalima. Additionally, probable fuel shortage and excessive workload for the crew members were identified as contributing factors.