Incident Overview

Description
An aircraft operated by Air Kasai was destroyed when it crashed and burned 3 km from Kamako, Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are said to have been seven persons on board the aircraft. The pilot and passenger survived the accident. The Antonov An-2 operated on a mixed cargo/passenger flight from Tshikapa to Kamako, Nsumbula, Diboko and back to Tshikapa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After take-off from Kamako, climbing to 3500 feet, the pilot noticed a flock of birds. Some minutes later, he noticed that the engine was beginning to lose power. Thinking that he had flown through a group of birds, he decided to return to Kamako Airstrip. The elevation of the land in this area varies between 2000 and 2500 feet of altitude. Without engine power, he began to lose altitude on the right downwind leg of the approach. Being unable to reach the Kamako, the pilot steered into a valley between two hills. During the attempted forced landing the aircraft hit a tree canopy and fell to the ground, bursting into flames. The pilot and the passenger next to him escaped with minor injuries. Conclusion Given all parameters, the only way the PIC thought of how to save the aircraft was to try to glide towards the valley between the hills. As the aircraft approached the ground, the canopy stopped its course and the aircraft fell and made sudden contact with the ground. The cabin was deformed and the passengers on board could not open the emergency door.
Source of Information
https://www.radiookapi.net/2018/07/27/actualite/societe/kasai-crash-dun-avion-pres-de-kamako, https://actualite.cd/2018/07/27/rdc-cinq-morts-dans-le-crash-dun-avion-a-kamako-tshikapa/, https://www.voaafrique.com/a/au-moins-cinq-morts-dans-le-crash-d-un-antonov-en-rdc/4502358.htmlhttps://www.radiookapi.net/2018/07/27/actualite/societe/kasai-crash-dun-avion-pres-de-kamako, https://actualite.cd/2018/07/27/rdc-cinq-morts-dans-le-crash-dun-avion-a-kamako-tshikapa/, https://www.voaafrique.com/a/au-moins-cinq-morts-dans-le-crash-d-un-antonov-en-rdc/4502358.htmlPrimary Cause
Pilot error ? steering into a valley during an attempted forced landing.Pilot error ? steering into a valley during an attempted forced landing.Share on: