2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash

Infobox Airliner accident
Crash

Image caption= Antonov An-26 at the Radom Air Show
name = 2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash
Date = October 4 2007
Type = Under investigation
Site = coord|-4.40|15.41|type:event|name=KinshasaKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Fatalities = 51 (including 31 on the ground)
Injuries = At least 30
Aircraft Type= Antonov An-26
Operator = Malift Air
Tail Number = 9Q-COS
Passengers = unknown (16 in the flight manifest)
Crew = 5
Survivors = 1 (possibly 2)

The 2007 Africa One Antonov An-26 crash occurred when an aging twin engine Antonov An-26, belonging to the Congolese air carrier Africa One, crashed and burned shortly after takeoff from Kinshasa N'djili International Airport in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on October 4, 2007. The flight left N'djili at 10:43 local time bound for Tshikapa, a distance of 650 km to the east.cite news
title=Flames hold up rescuers at DR Congo plane crash |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iBac7IqZoZqqoOr5eMAseJ8Tr98w
publisher=Agence France-Presse via Google News
date=2007-10-05
accessdate=2007-10-05] [cite news
title=Death toll from Congo plane crash rises to 39; transport minister fired |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/05/africa/AF-GEN-Congo-Plane-Crash.php
publisher=Associated Press via "International Herald Tribune"
date=2007-10-04
accessdate=2007-10-05]

Background

The flight was variously reported as operated by El Sam Airlines or Malila Airlift, with the aircraft leased from Africa One. Both carriers are on the list of air carriers banned in the EU, as are all of other Congolese airlines. The aircraft, tail number 9Q-COS, is reported to have been certified in a letter "409/cab/MIN/TVC/1264/MN/mg/2007" as having passed safety inspection, according to Hippolyte Muaka, who is the acting head of the DRC's Civil Aviation Authority.cite news
first=Joe
last=Bavier
title=Congo crash toll over 50, but survivor found
url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L05609033.htm
publisher=Reuters
date=2007-10-05
accessdate=2007-10-05]

The flight was a commercial cargo flight carrying at least 28, including a flight crew of five. [cite web
title=Kinshasa, the victims of the crash are at least 50
publisher=Avionews
url=http://www.avionews.com/index.php?corpo=see_news_home.php&news_id=1080375&pagina_chiamante=index.php
date=2007-10-08
accessdate=2007-10-08] The flight manifest stated that there were 16 passengers aboard, but more boarded the flight shortly before takeoff.

Crash

The Russian foreign ministry reports that the aircraft lost a propeller, then a wing struck an obstacle, shearing the wing off prior to crashing. Striking a market before coming to rest at a residence at 77 Mayulu Av in the "Kingasani" district of the Kimbanseke commune, at least 49 people on the ground were killed. The reports of survivors are conflicting: initial reports had all aboard killed, including the Russian pilot, copilot and flight engineer, yet later Reuters reported that an on-board mechanic survived, while Associated Press claims a flight attendant also survived [cite news
title=Plane Crashes in Congo, Killing 25
publisher=New York Times
date=2007-10-05
accessdate=2007-10-08] , bringing the total number of survivors to two.

Mechanic's account

The on-board mechanic, M. Dédé Ngamba, was possibly the sole surviving passenger. His description (in French) was,

Nous avons décollé après trois minutes de taxi. Aussitôt, j’ai constaté que l’avion s’est mis à tanguer. L’effort du pilote de faire monter l’avion est demeuré vain. C’est alors que l’hôtesse m’a dit de mettre la ceinture de sécurité. En ce moment, l’avion a commencé à voler plus bas et il a percuté un palmier et perdu une aile.

Ensuite, il a commencé à percuter des maisons. Tous les colis des marchandises qui étaient à bord ont fait mouvement vers l’avant de l’avion. J’ai aperçu à côté de moi un trou par lequel je suis sorti sans savoir comment, et je suis tombé sur une flaque d’eau sablonneuse. J’ai pu alors contempler les flammes de l’avion qui consumait. Il ne s’agissait pas d’un poids exagéré. C’est une simple défaillance mécanique. [ [http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/47199 Digital Congo coverage (in French)] 2007-10-05]

This translates loosely to the following:

We had taken off after taxiing for three minutes. At once, I noted that the plane started to pitch. The effort of the pilot to right the plane remained vain. At this point in time the stewardess told me to put on my seat belt. At that time, the plane started to fly low and it struck a palm tree and lost a wing.

Then it started to strike houses. All the parcels of goods which were on board shifted toward the front of the plane. I noticed beside me a hole by which I left without knowing how, and I fell into a mud puddle. I then could contemplate the flames which consumed the plane. It was not about excess weight. It's a simple mechanical failure.

Aftermath

The DRC has an aviation safety track record that has been dubbed "an embarrassment" by the IATA and the Transport Minister Rémy Henri Kuseyo Gatanga has been fired by the president for culpable negligence in failing to enforce adequate standards and procedures for aviation safety management. [cite news
first=Joe
last=Bavier
title=Crash d'un Antonov 26 à Kinshasa: Un « cercueil volant » a encore tué hier à Kingasani |url=http://www.lepotentiel.com/afficher_article.php?id_article=53323&id_edition=4144
publisher="Le Potentiel"
accessdate=2007-10-05
language=French] [cite news
first=
last=
title=Révocation du ministre des Transports en retombées de la catastrophe du crash d’Antonov survenu à Kinshasa
url=http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/47223
publisher="Digital Congo"
accessdate=2007-10-06
language=French] [cite news
first=
last=
title=Old DR Congo aircraft 'still flying' after crash
url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gTiR343JbqqRR0OpTzDNLHCwGK5A
publisher="Agence France Press"
accessdate=2007-10-07
language=English] One source indicates that the lifting of the Transport Minister's ban on Antonov flights over DRC territory was NOT by his order but rather that of the Minister of State to the Head of State. [cite news
first=
last=
title=press summary
url=http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=15661
publisher="MONUC"
accessdate=
language=English]

A formal Parliamentary commission of inquiry was convened 19 October 2007, with Jean-Lucien Bussa as President and Lessendjina as Vice-president. The prosecutor's office of N'Djili is seized of the matter. [cite news
first=
last=
title=La Commission d’enquête de l’Assemblée nationale sur le crash d’Antonov à Kingasani à pied d’œuvre
url=http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/47595
publisher="Digital Congo"
date=2007-10-23
accessdate=2007-11-01
language=French]

Notwithstanding the ban, another Antonov (this one an An-12 registered as ER-AXI) was reported by Radio Okapi to have had a minor motor fire at Bangboka International Airport at Kisangani early in the afternoon of 1 November, 2007. No injuries and minor damage were reported. [cite news |url=http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=15329 |title=Kisangani: un Antonov en feu, pas de victimes |publisher=Radio Okapi |date=2007-11-01 |language=French]

Three months after the crash, Moscow offered US$200,000 in economic aid to the injured parties. [cite web |url=http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/49371 |publisher=Digital Congo |title=Crash de Kingasani : Moscou offre 200 000 Usd aux sinistrés |language=French |place=Kinshasa |date=2008-01-22 ]

References