Congo crash

[jarats]

Reuters and AP are reporting the crash of a cargo plane on the Congolese city of Goma. Reuters say its a B727 and AP that its a DC9. It has crashed onto buildings. No reports of casualties as yet.

[EagleStar]

Breaking News


At least 78 people killed when DC-9 plane crashes in Democratic Republic of Congo, foreign ministry tells CNN.


EagleStar

[greuzi]

Hewa Bora Airways.

Added to the EU blacklist just last Friday.

11 APR 2008 EU updates blacklist: adds Ukraine Cargo Airways and Hewa Bora
The European Commission adopted the seventh update of the "blacklist". The Commission is imposing a ban on all operations of Ukraine Cargo Airways as well as on all operations of the Congolese carrier Hewa Bora Airways.

[niknak]

The BBC, quoting comments from the Red Cross, are reporting 70 dead with the remainder suffering life threating injuries.

[Super VC-10]

CNN are reporting 83 dead. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/04/15/congo.crash/index.html

[er340790]

'Ghonda said the cause of Tuesday's crash is under investigation but initial indications point to an overloaded cabin.'

[Palyvestre]

First picture here

http://www.crash-aerien.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=44638#44638

[VortexGen300]

Balanced field length?

TODA?

Looks like a bit too much of a gamble and jiggle with figures to make the requirements?

What requirements?

Sorry purely speculative!

VG300

[Tofu Racing]

If the picture on crash-aerien is the right one, then it's DC-9.

Edited: C'est donc bien un DC9. Obviously.

[nooluv]

6 survivers including 2 crew acording to the independant.
pictures of people throwing buckets of water on the fire

..http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/scores-killed-as-jet-crashes-into-congo-city-809281.html

[er340790]

Inverseurs de flux droits semblent sortis. Cela confirmerait qu'ils essayaient de s'arrêter !

Thrust reversers appear deployed, which would confirm they were trying to stop.

[Carbon Bootprint]

BBC World Service reported both the Captain and FO survived. They had a recording from a British-sounding eyewitness who claimed the plane barely left the ground, if at all, before crashing into the neighbourhoods at the end of the runway. They also described people throwing buckets of water on the aircraft as shown in one of the links above. If the report is to be believed, the only fire cover that arrived was a water truck with an inadequate pump manned by Indian members of the UN peacekeeping force.

[ankh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7348743.stm

[G09]

I'm not really surprised after seeing this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=mEN_mwn_NaM

[bushbolox]

It would be news if they hadnt crashed. :ugh:

[roljoe]

Here more infos about that sad occurence...

http://www.luchtzak.be/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45882#p223302

[Few Cloudy]

CNN now report 18 dead and prob ENG failure...

[pattern_is_full]

1,500-meter (5,089-ft) elevation, 2,000-meter (6,545ft) runway (current length - shortened from original length by lava flow as alluded to in the CNN story).

You can see where the brown lava flow "ate" the north end of the runway here: http://www.world-airport-codes.com/zaire/goma-2619.html

Doesn't leave much leeway - even a factory-fresh B717-200 requires 7,600 at MTOW!

Weather in English: Cloudy with showers. High 73F, humidity 60%. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Can't find a METAR.

Hand-buckets to put out a jet-A (or rough approximation) fire - I give those rescuers credit for guts!

[IFLy4Free]

ABC news here says an American family of 4 walked away from the crash

[OpenSky2008]

http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/congo-crash-aerien-a-goma-80-2008-04-15-591863.shtml Le soir, a belgian newspaper said that a blowing tire at high speed may be the cause of the accident. The pilot try to stop the plane but loose control. I think it was too late to stop the plane.

[sevenstrokeroll]

an AP report indicates possible engine failure and or tire burst on takeoff...this from a passenger who was a pilot as well.

as to takeoff data, the DC9 series 40 was built for high/hot airports...I have no idea what series DC9 this was, haven't seen pictures.


there are some scenarios where a tire burst can end up being sucked into an engine on the DC9...greater flap setting can reduce this possibility.

[pattern_is_full]

AP - 03:46Z 4/16 update: 21 confirmed dead "mostly on the ground" (!!) No deaths confirmed yet among the 79 on the plane's manifest. 113 injured, including many on the ground obviously

"One of the plane’s pilots reported that an engine died as the
plane taxied [sic] down the runway, Gov. Mpaluku said. When the pilots
tried to brake, a tire failed as well, the governor said."

had been raining until 1 hour before accident (wet runway?)

Sounds like Murphy's Law was operating overtime...

[Stubenfliege 2]

This picture from Goma is from 2006:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/1162502. Airliners.net

If the situation hasn´t chnge, you can see, that the runway is a little bit shortened by lava.

According to the JACDEC Webiste (http://www.jacdec.de/news/news.htm), the crashed aircraft was a DC-9-50 (-> 9Q-CHN).

[CargoOne]

Just to correct the statement that Hewa Bora was included into EU ban list on 11th of April 2008.
In fact, Hewa Bora has always been in EU ban list since it was first published, along with all other DRC operators. The only difference is that previously there was an exemption made for Hewa Bora, allowing them to operate to EU using a particular airframe of their fleet. Initially it was one L1011 (cannot remember the reg), more recently it was 767-200 9Q-CJD, and since the last update they were banned completely.

[greuzi]

CO,

You are indeed 100% correct but at the time of posting didn't think the full explanation was necessary. The L-1011 Reg was 9Q-CHC

G

[wideman]

Reuters quoted Dirk Cramers, an official of Hewa Bora, as saying that the runway was soaked after a heavy rain. At some point, the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff run, but the a/c skidded and crashed through a wall that separated the end of the runway from a market area that was filled with shops. [!]

[Captain Caveman]

AFP now saying 40 killed and 100 injured in this accident.

[industry insider]

In 2006 the company added S9-DBH a DC9-51 to the fleet.

[Skydrol Leak]

It happened with the reason. Congo has one of the worst crash history regarding the airplane crashes per year. This is no surprise.
Overloading their MTOM shouldn't be a problem there.

[Bobbsy]

The March issue of "Flying" has an interesting--but frightening--article by Lane Wallace about a recent visit to the Congo. It even includes a photo from a Caravan on finals to that stretch of road featured in G09's Youtube video. I gather that road is regularly used as a runway...though the two wrecked Antonov biplanes don't inspire confidence.

Bob

[Xeque]

Can anyone identify the aircraft type in the You Tube clip? I looks (to me) like a Beech Queen/King Air. The spinner that can be seen over the pilots shoulder right at the end of the clip might be a clue. It seems to be a very long take-off run and that left curve in the road halfway along is really scary :uhoh:

[galvonager]

Can anyone identify the aircraft type in the You Tube clip?They discussed it already here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=313591&highlight=mEN_mwn_NaM). LET410, apparently.

[Hussar 54]

A couple of guys in the hotel last night were saying that SN Brussels is closely involved with Hewa Bora....perhaps a sizeable equity stake and plans to have Hewa Bora provide regional and feeder services out of Kinshasa on their behalf....

Anyone can confirm ?

It would be more than a bit embarrassing if you're heavily involved with and planning to code-share with a company that's been blacklisted in your home town....

[Sobelena]

Hussar, not that it makes any difference - but just for your info, since the merger with Virgin Express they are now Brussels Airlines (the SN bit was dropped).

[kingair9]

A couple of guys in the hotel last night were saying that SN Brussels is closely involved with Hewa Bora....perhaps a sizeable equity stake and plans to have Hewa Bora provide regional and feeder services out of Kinshasa on their behalf....

Anyone can confirm ?

It would be more than a bit embarrassing if you're heavily involved with and planning to code-share with a company that's been blacklisted in your home town....


That is basically correct but not in the detail.

SN was not planning to put codeshares on HewaBora flights but they were about to start a NEW airline. This joint-venture is called "airDC", is registered in Mauritius and is supposed to start in Summer 08. As you might be aware, Congo is a former Belgian colony and the strings are still tighter than there might be between Congo and other European nations.

SN was/is supposed to provide 737 and 146 aircraft for a local national and international feeder network into their SN European flights. According to press releases of this week (after blacklisting and crash), SN is closely monitoring the situation and is evaluating a retreat from these plans.

That's the basic story, more info on "airDC" and the persons behind it is easily available here on the site and through other sources.

Hope this helps you a bit further.

[bushbolox]

Just to clarify things a bit and so prvent this accident from being a source of speculation based around 1st world practices and expectations.

Goma is a sh1thole
ALL i repeat ALL DRC operators are bogstandard africa. That is to say whatever safety you may take as standard in the first world is an emcumberance to these people and so ignored. Many Pilots of all races are complicit in these bush ops(or masqerading as airlines whilst still being a bush operation) during their career progression.Some are luckier than others.Alot are dead.Its a necessary evil in these parts of the world and nirvanna to an adventure minded chap. Lets be clear it is only luck that prevents this sort of thing being a daily occurrence. Sad fact of life or rather should I say death over there. Association with SN is an irrelevance. A a paper exercise in looking good and then back to the second sentence of this paragraph.
just to sum up Goma is a ****hole.
Hope this helps to keep it in perspective


Its the nature of the beast. It will alway be that way as long as there are crooked countries and experience hungry pilots.
This is not a tragic event but an inevitable one.

As for the let take off video. Horrifying with my airline hat on , but was once fairly routine in a previous life.Welcome to the bush.:eek:

[prang one]

A rather strange fact has been stated about this accident from people at the site ( to myself )

Crash Fire Rescue (UN) picked up the Capt and First O in the grass up hill from the aircraft next to the runway . Approx 500ft from cockpit with a wall of fire and wreckage in between not to mention a large hill. They were treated for cuts ect at UN Air Ops on airport.

It has been stated that they jumped from the aircraft before it arrived in the market!!!!!

Over all this sounds like a very nasty accident from what I have heared today and the count is sure to increase as the wreakage is moved. BUT as others have said it is only luck that this does not happen everyday around DRC with local air operators.

It is now confirmed by 3 passangers that the pilots DID jump from the aircraft just before it left the runway.
Infact the 3 followed the pilots out of the door and thus are still alive. Strange as it sounds the first one out after the pilots is the Greek archbishop in Kinshasa and the other 2 were Italian nuns

[Sobelena]

It has been stated that they jumped from the aircraft before it arrived in the market!!!!!

:hmm:


I've heard and read a great deal of cr@p in recent times but this beats all.

[bnt]

ABC news here says an American family of 4 walked away from the crash
They are Christian missionaries, and they are claiming their survival was miraculous (http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/the-arrogance-of-the-miraculous.html). As for the 40+ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7350962.stm) people on the ground who died to facilitate this miracle, well, your guess is as good as mine. :ugh:

[broadreach]

How in heaven's name do you get out of the flight deck of a DC9 at speed without being run over by your own aircraft? Perhaps I should rephrase that to "how in hell". The mind accepts that extraordinary escapes are possible, but this???

[NZFlyingKiwi]

Divine intervention perhaps? ;)

[starling60]

"It is now confirmed by 3 passangers that the pilots DID jump from the aircraft just before it left the runway.
Infact the 3 followed the pilots out of the door and thus are still alive. Strange as it sounds the first one out after the pilots is the Greek archbishop in Kinshasa and the other 2 were Italian nuns"

It turns out that the 2 Italian nuns are in fact 2 missionary priests....Have heard a live interview on It. TV the other day, one declared that they left the plane through an overwing exit after it broke up and stopped.

How is it possible for both pilots to: unstrap, leave cockpit, open door and jump out of plane whilst this is skidding off runway, engines on reverse (very likely at still high speed), with possibly a burst tyre and all associated shaking etc. etc. and not only, but with 3 clergymen following them??? :confused:

starling60

[VortexGen300]

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!

There are pictures where the cockpit escape window is clearly out and I doubt if the average pax will know how to operate the latch? And testimony from eye witnesses that were on the plane and on the ground saying it was where the pilots and some PAX escaped after the plane came to rest?

VG300

[starling60]

VG300, don't doubt pilots exited through cockpit escape window after plane came to rest, fact they are alive is a proof that they got out somehow.
Just find it difficult to believe the story about them jumping out whilst plane was still at speed and other pax following them out of same exit.
If they left through cockpit escape window when plane was still running, how could 3 priests have followed them? Were they in the cockpit?
Can't remember how many jump seats there are in a DC9-51..........:(
Sounds like a 007 movie scene rather than sad reality to me.
I can only give feedback on what I have heard through TV and the Italian priests definitely stated they left plane through overwing exits AFTER plane came to a halt.
Hope others can come up with fresher info :)

[BeechNut]

Can't remember how many jump seats there are in a DC9-51..........

If it's anything like the series 30, only one. And a tight squeeze at that, and once the seat is down and folded and the leg rests in place, ain't nobody going to get through to that cockpit from the SLF cabin.

Never flown the -9 but have ridden the jumpseat on occasion.

In spite of the cozy accomodations pilots always seemed to love the old girl.

Beech

[bludnok]

Bushbolox has made some good points.

It is worth pointing out that flying by Hairylines in Africa is for the most part a lot safer than any other form of available transport. Pilot skills may even be somewhat higher than those in the privileged parts of the world. Does this put in perspective some of the moaning heard in these forums?

We all do the job which is to hand. We can do no other.