Gomair AN26 near Kinshasa on Dec 20th 2018, impacted terrain short of runway

Last Update: April 23, 2020 / 16:04:56 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 20, 2018

Classification
Crash

Airline
Gomair

Departure
Tshikapa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Destination
Kinshasa Ndjili, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aircraft Registration
9S-AGB

Aircraft Type
Antonov An-26

ICAO Type Designator
AN26

A Gomair Antonov AN-26 on behalf Central Electoral National Independent Commission (CENI), registration 9S-AGB performing a cargo flight from Tshikapa to Kinshasa Ndjili (DR Congo) with 7 or 8 crew and election materials, was cleared to descend to 5000 feet on approach to Ndjili's runway 06 when the aircraft went missing about 20nm short of Kinshasa's runway 06 at about 10:00L (09:00Z). The aircraft was found about 24 hours later in hilly terrain (peaks rising up to 700 meters/2300 feet MSL) about 19nm before runway 06.

Local Congolese media report Authorities did not launch a search for the aircraft. The aircraft was found by random chance by a local, who reported 8 bodies in the wreckage.

CENI reported no official of the Electoral Commission was on board of the aircraft, the official remained in Tshikapa. The plane belonged to Gomair tail number 9S-AGB (former Blue Air 9Q-CZO, later 9S-AZO) and carried 7 crew.

The airline confirmed the aircraft crashed about 35km short of Ndjili Airport.

Locals reported visibility had been poor at the time of the disappearance of the aircraft.

DR Congo's BPEA released a very brief interim note in French dated Dec 20th 2019 stating that the FDR has been recovered intact. All formalities were completed to have the FDR downloaded and decoded, however, the FDR has not yet reached the facility. If within the next 6 months the download and decoding can not be achieved, the final report will be issued without FDR data. The crucial problem from a safety point of view however is the qualification of the air traffic controller. The civil aviation authority conducted an audit, however, the company RVA (ATC provider) has still not provided the documentation of their staff qualifications. (Editorial note: other than these remarks the interim note does not contain any data to the sequence of the accident, location, first examination of wreckage, ...)

Metars:
FZAA 201100Z 25006KT 7000 SCT016 BKN100 28/23 Q1013 NOSIG=
FZAA 201000Z 27004KT 7000 SCT014 FEW028CB BKN100 26/23 Q1014 RETS NOSIG=
FZAA 200900Z 15004KT 6000 TS SCT012 FEW028CB OVC100 24/23 Q1015 RERA NOSIG=
FZAA 200800Z 17006KT 4000 -TSRA SCT008 FEW026CB OVC080 23/22 Q1015 NOSIG=
FZAA 200700Z 36006KT 4000 -TSRA SCT012 FEW026CB OVC080 23/22 Q1015 TEMPO 2000=
FZAA 200600Z 36010KT 6000 -TSRA FEW014 FEW026CB OVC080 24/23 Q1014 TEMPO 4000 TSRA=
FZAA 200500Z 29006KT 6000 -TSRA FEW014 FEW026CB OVC080 24/23 Q1014 TEMPO 4000 MOD TSRA=
FZAA 200400Z 26006KT 7000 TS SCT016 FEW028CB BKN100 25/23 Q1013 NOSIG=
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 20, 2018

Classification
Crash

Airline
Gomair

Departure
Tshikapa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Destination
Kinshasa Ndjili, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aircraft Registration
9S-AGB

Aircraft Type
Antonov An-26

ICAO Type Designator
AN26

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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