B1900 missing in the congo?

[Der absolute Hammer]

Beech aerodynamic design changes now. They use a lot of rivets in the nose cone, not very clean is it?

[Propellerpilot]

YouTube - Don't try this at home

wonder if that one is actually a fake ?

I can't believe people would actually have the guts to do this... looks like they have not done this for the first time.

If it was the airframe that got our buddies down - then it was just a question of time unless detected in an airframe inspection.

[Der absolute Hammer]

Point was....is that a 1900?
Very crude nose cone, not, I think, the same as B200?

[Lifes-a-Beech]

If you watch on the fly by, when you get the side view of the plane, its too short to be a B1900, add to that the crude nose cone...I'm thinking not - my vote goes to a B200

[Coleman Myers]

Missing airframe parts

Mungo, according to my employer who spoke with an AirServ engineer, there is a wing and engine unaccounted for ?. If this is the case, could it not indicate that the engine was at max power when the wing separated, enabling it to travel some considerable distance from the hull's point of impact ?. How did the aircraft strike the terrain ?. I think there are so many questions that need to be explored further.

[MungoP]

We'll need to wait and see where the missing bits are found.. if they're ever found.

[Goffel]

Nothing is missing.

Hi Coleman and others.
Nothing is missing....no matter what you get told.

Goffel.

[Coleman Myers]

Missing parts

Goffel,

Thanks for the update. Any info on how the aircraft actually struck the terrain. I am hearing the belly took most of the impact, but that the tail struck first. If this is at all true, is it possible they were at max power in a climb configuration ?. (i.e. caught in a very severe down draft).

[ARENDIII]

Bus drivers

Yup-I agree,
However I say that we only have ourselves to blame.
When the weather is not right-do not go!
When someone says we must go now-do not go!
When you have reservations about a/c serviceability-do not go!
If in doubt about the succesful completion of the flight-do not go!
Why am I paid so much(sic)? To know when to say NO! NO! NO!
I am not paid to fly-I rather think that I am paid to KNOW when not to fly. Anyone can fly, it's being able to say NO! that sets the men apart from the boys. That way the company gets to keep their crew,pax and lo and behold "THE AIRPLANE!!!"
Fly safely people, you have all worked and continue to work extremely hard for your licence-don't throw it all away to try and please some desk jockey.
Happy and SAFE flying to all,
ArendIII.

[Hot Shots]

ARENDIII, you said it!!!!! I couldn't agree more! I think Capt's and F/O's need to be more aware when to say NO, regardless of who they work for.

Great post

[V1... Ooops]

Any new information? Several months have now passed.

[Propellerpilot]

Nope - no news.

[SafeTBee]

NTSB have released a preliminary report - no major updates, except that fire is mentioned.

[SafeTBee]

CFIT seems to have been eliminated as a causal factor.

[V1... Ooops]

Here is the URL to the American NTSB factual report: click here.

[MungoP]

Well whoever Dennis Jones is I don't envy him his task of working with the 'Ministry of Transport' of the DRC :/

[reinbobber]

where did you find that CFIT was eliminated as a causal factor?

where did you find that CFIT was eliminated as a causal factor?

[JohanKnoetze]

Grieved Dad of Deseaded Pilot - Rudi Knoetze

My son Rudi Knoetze was killed in an airplane crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the 1st September 2008. They were flying humanitarian aiders. The incident was covered in several newspapers and on radio in South Africa. I waited three days for the forces to remove his body from the mountain. I waited another week for his body to arrive in South Africa. The information received was that the whether was bad and that the pilots flew into a mountain. This aircraft is operated by two pilots and they flew a leg at a time. By this I mean that my son, who was also a captain on this aircraft (both pilots were captains), flew from Goma to Kisangani. At the time of the accident the other pilot (Ronnie) flew from Kisangani to Bukavu and 15km before the airport, this accident occurred.

Following from this, I have done the following:

• Obtained photos regarding the accident and studied them. I must also mention that I am not an aviation expert but, work in the Forensic Department of a large corporate institution, and the photos did not tell the same story.
• Appointed an investigator, who was at the scene of the accident to do me a report (His report reflected that there was either an explosion on board or that they were shot down by missile.
• Contacted the NTSB (Dennis Jones) in America in order to get clarity on what happened and requested the report on the black box (Flight Data Recorder) – I was told to work through the official channels and to request the South African Embassy to get the information from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• I contacted the United Nations, as 15 passengers were also killed, most of them being UN soldiers – I was told that they are not doing an investigation, which I find to be very strange.
• My son was contracted by CEMAIR, a company at Lanseria airport and they then hired the aircraft and crew to Air Serv in America. (Wet Lease) I contacted Air Serv in order to find out if they are conducting an investigation. I was told that they are also not conducting an investigation. This is also very strange to me as they were the operating company within the DRC. I obtained the contract between the Cemair and Air Serv together with the operating certificates.
• I contacted Mr. Mamoepa’s office on the 18th May 2009 and asked them for assistance. I forwarded a follow up e-mail on 2nd June 2009 and did not receive any assistance, except for acknowledgment of receipt (See e-mails below) I e-mailed his office again on the 6th July 2009 and again got conformation that the South African Embassy in Kinshasa requested the information. (See e-mail below) I have again forwarded e-mails on 7th and 8th September, but to no avail.
• I established that the aircraft voice cockpit recorder was removed and noticed from the photos that it was blanked off. However, I was told by Cemair that it was destroyed during the accident.
• I visited Civil Aviation South Africa and asked them why they did not get involve. I was told that it was not worthwhile to investigate, as all the passengers on board were dead and that it was not worthwhile to send anybody from there authority to do an investigation. It was also mentioned to me that charity begins at home at that a number of reports were outstanding. After begging them to get me the necessary information, they drew up a letter, which I had translated to French, and they forward this letter to the DRC, requesting information. They also promised me that if the information is not forthcoming, that they would send a representative to the DRC to get the information. This was only empty promises, as they promised to visit the DRC during July, again during September, but this never materializes. I find it very strange that they did not get involve from the beginning and is still reluctant to get involve 10 months later.
• [FONT='Arial','sans-serif']I appointed a second investigator to investigate the circumstances. A lot of facts were established by him, but he cannot conclude his investigation without the co-ordinates, the weather conditions (which I might receive at a cost) and most importantly the report/information on the flight data recorder.

To conclude and in view of all the facts above, I am desperate to get the report on the black box (flight data recorder information) and the report from the DRC, and will not be able to get closure on my sons death unless I know what happened. My frustration is that my son has been dead for more than a year and I cannot get the information needed. Although I followed all the official channels I also do not get any assistance from Civil Aviation South Africa, nor from the South African Embassy. I have attached some of the e-mails and will forward you the report issued by the investigator (first one) appointed by me.

Any Suggestions?????

Johan Knoetze

[greenno]

First of all give you the pesame by the death of your son. I'm sorry.

About you problem I can't help you. I was in Congo flying in 2007 and DRC civil aviation can't do a investigation as a normal country.

Bukavu is a dangerous airport I was flying in Bravo Air Congo and in two months Bravo had 3 minor incidents and one peasant killed.

Also Bukavu is in a troubled area, "men of the war" want to dominate mineral traffic so "why not think that was shut down?

Is very easy recognize a UN airplane, all white with big black letter "UN".

I can't undertand that no body want to discover what happened. Conspiration? a CVR distroyed? Beech as manufacturer does'nt want discover what happened, and the airline? Very extrange.

Good Luck, I hope you can discover the true in memory of your son.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Why would anyone waste an expensive asset like a MANPAD on a low value target like a Papa Charlie full of nobodies?


Supposition by unqualified people will merely lead to confusion. Just looking at pictures will not tell you if explosive residue is present which is about the only really conclusive way of determining if an IED or a MANPAD was used. Did your investigator have wreckage analysed by a reputable lab for these traces?


Try Occam's Razor on this one.