What happened
A charter flight operated by Decilac departed from Kasese, destined for Bukavu, when the single-engine airplane encountered severe weather. During the flight, the aircraft was subjected to heavy rainfall and intense winds. While navigating through these difficult conditions, the plane went down in a mountainous area situated approximately 40 km east of Bukavu.
Following the impact, search efforts located the wreckage a few hours later. The sole passenger on board was successfully rescued from the site. However, the two crew members, consisting of the pilot and the copilot, both sustained fatal injuries in the accident. The total number of fatalities was 2, while the 1 passenger survived.
Findings
Investigations into the incident highlighted significant regulatory concerns regarding the operator. It was reported that the company was not officially registered with the DRC Civil Aviation Authority. Furthermore, the operator had not undergone any formal audit before beginning its flight operations. The lack of official registration and oversight for the operator was a critical finding in the aftermath of the crash.