Accident description
Last updated: 21 May 2013
| Status: | Preliminary |
| Date: | 17 FEB 2002 |
| Time: | 18:00 UTC |
| Type: | Canadair CL-44D4 |
| Operator: | Skymaster Freight Services |
| Registration: | 9Q-CTS |
| C/n / msn: | 25 |
| First flight: | 1961 |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls Royce 515-10 Tyne |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 20 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 23 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Mbuji Mayi (Congo (Democratic Republic)) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Mbuji Mayi Airport (MJM/FZWA), Congo (Democratic Republic) |
| Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport (FIH/FZAA), Congo (Democratic Republic) |
An uncontained engine fire erupted from engine no.1, following which the aircraft lost height. Both fire bottles were fired on the engine, but with no success. Struggling to control the aircraft with bank angles of around 85 degrees, the crew tried to extend the flaps to 45 degrees. The rate of descent reduced to 700 feet/min, but an asymmetric flap condition caused a increase in the rate of descent to 1500 feet/min with bank angles up to 110 degrees at a speed of 98 knots. The captain then pulled the power off and performed a hard landing in a jungle clearing.
Sources:
» Peter van Leeuwen
» Yahoo Propliner Group
Photos
CL-44 c/n 25 seen here operating for Tradewinds; the aircraft moved to Africa in 1997, operating for Trans Lloyd Cargo under various registrations before being acquired by Skymaster Freight Services.
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 Mbuji Mayi Airport to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport as the crow flies is 916 km (572 miles).
Distance from Mbuji Mayi Airport to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport as the crow flies is 916 km (572 miles).
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.
