Were there any fatalities in the 1973-07-28 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 7 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1973-07-28 involved a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, registration 9Q-CCC, operated by Compagnie Cotonnière et Industrielle, at Mt Sabyinyo, Democratic Republic of Congo.

1973-07-28: Piper PA-31-310 Navajo (9Q-CCC) — Compagnie Cotonnière et Industrielle — Mt Sabyinyo, Democratic Republic of Congo

7 fatalitiesMt Sabyinyo, Democratic Republic of CongoFlight

A twin-engine airplane crashed into a forested area on the slopes of Mt Sabyinyo, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

During a flight at an altitude of 7,000 feet, a twin engine airplane encountered cloud cover while navigating near Goma. During this phase of flight, the aircraft impacted trees and subsequently burst into flames within a heavily wooded region on the side of Mt Sabyinyo, which stands at an elevation of 3,669 meters. The accident occurred approximately 50 km northeast of Goma.

Search efforts located the wreckage several hours after the impact. It was confirmed that there were seven fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft, a group that included two children.

Findings

The investigation concluded that the crash was the result of controlled flight into terrain.

Probable cause

The aircraft flew into the ground while under controlled flight conditions.