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2010 Filair Let L-410 crash

Coordinates: 3°18′40″S 17°22′24″E / 3.31111°S 17.37333°E / -3.31111; 17.37333
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2010 Filair Let L-410 crash
The Let L-410 crash site
Accident
Date25 August 2010 (2010-08-25)
SummaryCrocodile entering cabin during final approach, leading to sudden center of gravity shift and loss of control
SiteNear Bandundu Airport, Bandundu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
3°18′40″S 17°22′24″E / 3.31111°S 17.37333°E / -3.31111; 17.37333
Aircraft
Aircraft typeLet L-410UVP-E20C
OperatorFilair
Registration9Q-CCN
Flight originN'Dolo Airport, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1st stopoverBasango Mboliasa Airport, Kiri, DRC
2nd stopoverBokoro Airport, Bokoro, DRC
3rd stopoverSemendua Airport Semendwa, DRC
4th stopoverBandundu Airport, Bandundu, DRC
DestinationN'Dolo Airport, Kinshasa, DRC
Occupants21
Passengers18
Crew3
Fatalities20
Injuries1
Survivors1

On 25 August 2010, a Let L-410 Turbolet passenger aircraft of Filair crashed on approach to Bandundu Airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing all but one of the 21 people on board.[1]

The accident was reportedly the result of the occupants rushing to the front of the aircraft to escape from a crocodile smuggled on board by one of the passengers. The move compromised the aircraft's balance to the point that control of the aircraft was lost.[2]

Accident

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The aircraft was operating a round-robin domestic flight from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, stopping at Kiri, Bokoro, Semendwa and Bandundu. At 13:00 local time (12:00 UTC), while on final approach to Bandundu Airport, the aircraft crashed into a house approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) short of the runway. According to most sources, no one was injured on the ground, but 19 people were killed instantaneously, with two survivors being taken to hospital, one of whom later died from their injuries.[3] Of the 21 people on board, only one, a passenger, survived.[4][5] Most of the dead were Congolese.[6] There was no post-impact fire, a circumstance that led to initial speculation that the aircraft may have suffered fuel exhaustion.[7]

Aircraft

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A Let-410 of Filair, similar to the accident aircraft

The aircraft was a 1991-built Let L-410 Turbolet, with Congolese registration 9Q-CCN, construction number 912608.[8] It normally carries up to 19 passengers.[6] The aircraft involved was previously registered ES-LLB, and was operated by Airest, an Estonian airline, until 2007. It was stored until Filair bought it in 2009.[9]

Crew

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The flight was piloted by 62-year-old Belgian Danny Philemotte, who was also the owner of Filair, and his first officer, 39-year-old Briton Chris Wilson.[10] The crew also consisted of a single flight attendant.[11] All perished in the accident.

Investigation

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The Congolese Ministry of Transport opened an investigation into the accident.[4] There was no confirmation that fuel shortage caused the crash.[6]

The only survivor of the crash stated to the investigators that a crocodile smuggled in a duffel bag by one of the passengers had escaped shortly before landing, sparking panic among the passengers. The flight attendant rushed towards the cockpit, followed by all passengers, and the resulting shift in the aircraft's centre of gravity led to an irrecoverable loss of control.[2] The crocodile reportedly survived the crash, only to be killed with a machete by authorities.[12][additional citation(s) needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hradecky, Simon (25 August 2010). "Crash: Filair L410 at Bandundu on Aug 25th 2010, impacted building". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Aircraft crashes after crocodile on board escapes and sparks panic". The Telegraph. 21 October 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  3. ^ "20 killed in DRC plane crash". Capital News. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b "DR Congo plane crash in Bandundu 'kills 20'". BBC News. 25 August 2010. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Dix-neuf morts dans un accident d'avion dans l'ouest de la RDC" [Nineteen dead in a plane crash in western DRC] (in French). Le Soir. 25 August 2010. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  6. ^ a b c "DR Congo air crash 'kills many'". Al Jazeera English. 25 August 2010. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Plane crashes in DRCongo, 20 dead: deputy governor". Agence France-Presse. 25 August 2010. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  8. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Let L-410UVP-E20C 9Q-CCN Bandundu Airport". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  9. ^ "News from the World of L410". Planes.cz. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  10. ^ "British Pilot Died When Crocodile On Plane Caused Congo Crash". International Business Times. 12 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Crocodile blamed for Congo air crash". NBC News. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  12. ^ "Plane Crashes After Crocodile Escapes, Causes Panic". ABC News. 22 October 2010.
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