Services Air A313 at Mbuji-Mayi on Dec 24th 2015, runway excursion on landing

Last Update: December 29, 2015 / 17:22:32 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 24, 2015

Classification
Accident

Cause
Runway excursion

Airline
Services Air

Departure
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Destination
Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aircraft Registration
9Q-CVH

Aircraft Type
Airbus A310-300

ICAO Type Designator
A313

A Services Air Airbus A310-300, registration 9Q-CVH performing a cargo flight from Lubumbashi to Mbuji-Mayi (DR Congo) with 5 crew, landed on Mbuji-Mayi's runway 17 at about 16:30L (14:30Z) but overran the end of the runway by about 500 meters and ploughed through a residential area destroying a number of buildings. 8 people on the ground were killed, the crew sustained no injuries, the aircraft received substantial damage.

Witnesses reported the crew had already attempted and aborted two approaches, on the third approach the aircraft touched down about half way down the runway and was unable to stop before the end of the runway and came to a stop on soft ground about 500 meters/1650 feet past the runway end.

The provincial governor reported on Dec 24th 2015 there were 7 fatalities on the ground. On Dec 25th 2015 he added that there were 8 victims, 7 women and a boy. The runway overrun is being attributed to weather, not to the runway surface condition.

On Dec 29th 2015 the French BEA reported in their bulletin, that 8 people on the ground were killed and 9 people on the ground received serious injuries when the aircraft overran the runway. The aircraft carrying 5 crew received substantial damage. The Accident Investigation Board of the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating the accident.

No weather data (neither METAR nor local weather station data) are available. Local media described the weather at the time of the accident as rainy with visibility near zero.

Mbuji-Mayi Airport features a runway 17/35 of 2000 meters/6560 feet length.

Mbuji-Mayi had been known for poor runway surface conditions at the latest since Aug 19th 2015, see Accident: Brussels B733 at Mbuji-Mayi on Aug 19th 2015, stabilizer damaged by dislodged runway pavement. Congo Airways ceased operations into Mbuji-Mayi due to runway surface conditions about two weeks ago.