| Date: | Wednesday 19 April 2000 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Antonov An-8 |
| Owner/operator: | Force Aérienne Rwandaise |
| Registration: | TL-ACM |
| MSN: | 9340706 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1959 |
| Engine model: | Ivchenko AI-20D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 24 / Occupants: 24 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pepa -
 Congo (Democratic Republic)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Pepa Airport (FZRJ) |
| Kigali International Airport (KGL/HRYR) |
A Rwanda army major, two captains, two lieutenants, and some soldiers were killed along with the 4 Russian crewmembers when their Antonov 8 crashed on takeoff from Pepa. The soldiers were returning on home leave, while others were planning to attend the president's swearing-in ceremony.
A birdstrike is suspected. Other sources report a death toll of around 57 and suggest the Antonov might have been imported into Rwanda illegally.
Sources:
Africa News Service
Scramble 252
Tommy Maurer
Location
Images:
photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Lanseria Airport (HLA/FALA); July 1998
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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