Incident Details
A United Nations humanitarian mission flight, operating under call sign UNO806, departed from Huambo-Albano Machado Airport on a flight to Saurimo. Approximately five minutes after takeoff, while the aircraft was climbing, it was struck by a surface-to-air missile. The aircraft crashed in a field near the village of Vila Nova, which is located roughly 40 kilometers from Huambo. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and all 14 individuals on board—including crew and passengers—were killed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official accident investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was the aircraft having been shot down by a UNITA surface-to-air missile. The investigation determined that a surface-to-air missile launched by UNITA forces struck the aircraft during the climb phase of flight.