ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-322 (SF) 9S-ASG Lubumbashi International Airport (FBM)
ASN logo
 

Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Sunday 4 March 2018
Time:12:01
Type:Silhouette image of generic B733 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 737-322 (SF)
Operator:Serve Air
Registration: 9S-ASG
MSN: 24378/1704
First flight: 1989-04-01 (28 years 11 months)
Total airframe hrs:61721
Cycles:36555
Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-3C1
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Lubumbashi International Airport (FBM) (   Congo (Democratic Republic))
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport (FIH/FZAA), Congo (Democratic Republic)
Destination airport:Lubumbashi International Airport (FBM/FZQA), Congo (Democratic Republic)
Narrative:
A Boeing 737-300 cargo plane, operated by Serve Air, suffered a runway excursion and nose gear collapse after landing on runway 07 at Lubumbashi International Airport, D.R. Congo.
The aircraft departed Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport on a cargo flight to Lubumbashi. A training captain was seated on the right and the trainee captain on the left seat. The third pilot had the role of safety pilot. The trainee captain was on his fifth line training flight.
At Lubumbashi, the crew was cleared for an instrument landing procedure for runway 07. In the pre-landing briefing, AUTO BRAKE 2 mode was selected for deceleration of the aircraft. No anomalies or technical malfunctions were reported to ATC.
The weather conditions were good with calm winds. On landing, the aircraft landed in the touchdown zone according to the crew, the rollout on the runway appeared normal, and deceleration was progressive. At about 80 knots, the crew noted that the aircraft was diverging to the left of the runway centreline. The crew immediately switched to manual braking, but to no avail, the aircraft continued the skid until it went off the runway and came to a stop, leaving the right main gear on the runway. The nose landing gear, passing over the less compact shoulder, became bogged down and then broke off. The left main landing gear, with the weight of the aircraft, also dug in so that the left engine touched the ground.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage in the area of the nose landing gear cage (wheel well).

Probable Cause:

Contributing facts:
(a) Reduction of simulator training hours for economic reasons for someone who has never performed the duties of controlling an aircraft on the ground.
(b) The runway shoulders at Lubumbashi (Luano) do not have the same characteristics with regard to strength (see Annex 14 and Document 9157 Part 3).
In conclusion, the actions taken on the rudder before it became ineffective must have been the cause of the aircraft's deviation from the runway centreline and the loss of control of the aircraft (LOC-G).

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: BPEA DR Congo
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Accident number: BPEA/ACCID 01/2018
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Landing gear collapse
Runway excursion (veer-off)

Sources:
» Times.cd


Photos

Add your photo of this accident or aircraft

Video, social media

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 Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport to Lubumbashi International Airport as the crow flies is 1546 km (966 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: languages

Share

Boeing 737-300

  • 1113 built
  • 40th loss
» safety profile

 Congo (Democratic Republic)
  • 82nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 91st worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org