On January 12, 1996, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain (registration TL-ASB) operated by Centravia was involved in an aviation accident near Moroubas, Central African Republic in flight. 10 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the right engine in flight for unknown reasons. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft en route from Bangui to Koumbala suffered a right engine failure, declared an emergency, and diverted to Bambari. Thirteen minutes later, it went out of control and crashed in an isolated area, killing all 10 occupants.
Accident Details
While cruising at 7,000 feet on a flight from Bangui to Koumbala in the province of Bamingui-Bangoran, the pilot encountered technical problems with the right engine. The engine was shut down and its propeller feathered. The pilot declared an emergency and elected to divert to Bambari Airport.
Thirteen minutes after the engine shutdown, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in an isolated area approximately 60 km northwest of Bambari Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire. All 10 occupants on board were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a failure of the right engine in flight for unknown reasons.