Narrative:
A Douglas C-54 passenger plane was destroyed in an accident near Bunia, D.R.Congo. All 28 passengers and seven crew members were killed.
The Sobelair flight departed Brussel (BRU), Belgium at 09:11, April 21, on a flight to Elizabethville (now named Lubumbashi). Intermediate stops were planned at Rome, Cairo and Bunia. The flight left Cairo, Egypt at 20:49.
While descending towards Bunia, the C-54 flew into the Pic de Bogoro, some 60 metres below the summit.
PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from original French report): The accident occurred because the pilot, the captain, carried out a descent while the height of cloud base (ceiling) was below the minimum required by the Administration and the Operator.
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 22 April 1960 |
| Time: | 05:55 UTC |
| Type: |  Douglas C-54A-DO (DC-4) |
| Operator: | Sobelair |
| Registration: | OO-SBL |
| MSN: | 3099 |
| First flight: | 1943 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 30594 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2000-D5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 28 / Occupants: 28 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 35 / Occupants: 35 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 8 km (5 mls) SE of Bunia Airport (BUX) ( Congo (Democratic Republic))
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Cairo International Airport (CAI/HECA), Egypt |
| Bunia Airport (BUX/FZKA), Congo (Democratic Republic) |
A Douglas C-54 passenger plane was destroyed in an accident near Bunia, D.R.Congo. All 28 passengers and seven crew members were killed.
The Sobelair flight departed Brussel (BRU), Belgium at 09:11, April 21, on a flight to Elizabethville (now named Lubumbashi). Intermediate stops were planned at Rome, Cairo and Bunia. The flight left Cairo, Egypt at 20:49.
While descending towards Bunia, the C-54 flew into the Pic de Bogoro, some 60 metres below the summit.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from original French report): The accident occurred because the pilot, the captain, carried out a descent while the height of cloud base (ceiling) was below the minimum required by the Administration and the Operator.
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Rampen in België / Hans Van Riemsdijk, Christian DeglasPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Cairo International Airport to Bunia Airport as the crow flies is 3158 km (1973 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Cairo International Airport to Bunia Airport as the crow flies is 3158 km (1973 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: 
Congo (Democratic Republic)
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Douglas DC-4
- 1242 built
- 226th loss
- 133rd fatal accident
- 28th worst accident (at the time)
- 38th worst accident (currently)
Congo (Democratic Republic)- The worst accident (at the time)
- 10th worst accident (currently)
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