Kinshasa – Tshikapa – Kananga

On October 4, 2007 at 10:40 AM, Kinshasa – Tshikapa – Kananga experienced a crash involving Antonov AN-26, operated by El Sam Airlift, with the event recorded near Kinshasa-N'Djili Kinshasa City Province.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a city crash site.

22 people were known to be on board, 49 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 222.7%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 17, passenger fatalities: 17, other fatalities: 28.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. After takeoff from Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport, while climbing, the right engine failed. The aircraft stalled, hit tree tops and crashed onto several houses located in Kingasani neighbourhood. A crew member survived while 21 other occupants and at least 28 people on ground were killed. The Ministry of Transport was sacked after the accident due to inability to reform all aviation problem existing in DRC. The present accident is the worst occurring in DRC since 8 January 1996 when an Antonov AN-32 crashed also in Kinshasa, killing 237 people.

Aircraft reference details include registration 9Q-COS, MSN 8807, year of manufacture 1979.