Costermansville – Léopoldville
Flight / Schedule
Costermansville – Léopoldville
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
OO-CBN
MSN
13450
Year of Manufacture
1944
Date
February 4, 1952 at 12:07 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Kikwit Bandundu
Region
Africa • Democratic Republic of Congo
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On February 4, 1952 at 12:07 PM, Costermansville – Léopoldville experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by SABENA - Société Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne, with the event recorded near Kikwit Bandundu.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
16 people were known to be on board, 16 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 13, passenger fatalities: 13, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. At 1205LT, while overflying the Kasai province, the aircraft suffered a technical problem on the right engine where a propeller blade separated and went through the cabin. The airplane went out of control, nosed down and crashed two minutes later in the forest of Dibata located about 20 km from Kikwit. All 16 occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration OO-CBN, MSN 13450, year of manufacture 1944.
Fatalities
Total
16
Crew
3
Passengers
13
Other
0
Crash Summary
At 1205LT, while overflying the Kasai province, the aircraft suffered a technical problem on the right engine where a propeller blade separated and went through the cabin. The airplane went out of control, nosed down and crashed two minutes later in the forest of Dibata located about 20 km from Kikwit. All 16 occupants were killed.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
13
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 16
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Costermansville – Léopoldville
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Africa • Democratic Republic of Congo
Aircraft Details
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