On May 17, 2007, a Let L-410 (registration TN-AHE) operated by Safe Air Company was involved in an aviation accident near Walikale, Democratic Republic of Congo during takeoff. 3 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A twin-engine cargo aircraft crashed in a wooded area after one engine caught fire three minutes into a flight from Walikale to Goma. All three occupants were killed.
Accident Sequence
A twin-engine cargo aircraft was on a flight from Walikale to Goma, carrying two pilots and one passenger. The aircraft was loaded with two tons of cassiterite, a tin ore. The aircraft departed from a 700-meter-long dirt road used as a runway. Three minutes after takeoff, one of the engines caught fire. The crew attempted to return to the departure point for an emergency landing, but the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area.
Casualties and Cargo
The accident resulted in the deaths of all three occupants: the two pilots and the passenger. The cargo consisted of two tons of cassiterite minerals.