Accident Details
The aircraft touched down 45 meters beyond the threshold of runway 21 at Boma Airfield. Runway 21 has a length of 1,082 meters. The crew initiated braking, and engines number 1 and 3 were shut down after a ground roll of approximately 400–500 meters. When the aircraft was about 200 meters from the end of the runway, the captain elected to veer to the right to avoid an overrun. The aircraft then departed the runway, went down an embankment, and came to rest in an 8-meter deep ravine, where it burst into flames. Four occupants sustained injuries, five others were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation found the probable cause to be a wrong approach configuration on the part of the crew, resulting in landing at an excessive speed.
Contributing Factors
Several contributing factors were identified:
- Poor braking efficiency.
- The landing speed exceeded the limits specified in the aircraft flight manual.
- Uncoordinated crew actions: the main and emergency braking systems were applied simultaneously, contrary to published procedures.
- Erroneous shutdown of the central engine (engine number 2) during the first half of the landing roll.