2012 Katanga Express Gulfstream IV crash

On 12 February 2012, a Katanga Express Gulfstream IV business jet carrying several Congolese government officials overran the runway and crashed on landing at Kavumu Airport near Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two crew members and two passengers were killed, along with two people on the ground.[1]

2012 Katanga Express Gulfstream IV crash
A Gulfstream IV similar to the aircraft involved
Accident
Date12 February 2012 (2012-02-12)
SummaryRunway excursion on landing; under investigation
SiteNear Kavumu Airport, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Total fatalities6
Total injuries5
Aircraft
Aircraft typeGulfstream IV
OperatorKatanga Express
RegistrationN2SA
Flight originLubumbashi International Airport, Lubumbashi, DR Congo
DestinationKavumu Airport, Bukavu, DR Congo
Occupants12
Passengers10
Crew2
Fatalities4
Injuries5
Survivors8
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities2

Victims

Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the impact, along with two farmers on the ground. Two of the eight passengers were also killed: the former Governor of Katanga Province and President Kabila's closest advisor Augustin Katumba Mwanke and the ex-President Director General of OGEDEP (Office de Gestion de la Dette Publique) and national deputy for the district of Lukunga Oscar Dimageko Gema, who died of his injuries two weeks later.[2]

Among the survivors was Finance Minister and future Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo, who was seriously injured, and the roving ambassador of President Kabila and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Antoine Ghonda.[3][4]

Aftermath

After the crash, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's decided to suspend the license of Katanga Express while the Congolese and American teams investigated the cause of the crash.[5][6]

Katanga Express was listed as an air carrier banned from the European Union ten months later, in December 2012.[7]

Investigation

The investigation revealed that the airplane touched down about 1,200 meters past the threshold of the 2,000 meter runway. The 800 meters left for the landing rollout was insufficient to safely land a Gulfstream IV.[8]

References
  1. "Crash de Bukavu : Oscar Gema succombe, Matata Ponyo, Antoine Ghonda et Chissambo hors du danger". digitalcongo.net. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014.
  2. "Rescapé du crash de Bukavu, Oscar Gema est mort en Afrique du Sud". Radio Okapi (in French). 28 February 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. "Finance minister wounded in Congo plane crash-govt". Reuters. 12 February 2012.
  4. "Congolese minister being treated in South Africa". timeslive.co.za. 14 February 2012.
  5. Mwanamilongo, Saleh (15 February 2012). "Congo suspends 2 airlines after crash". Business Week. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  6. "Congo Suspends two Airlines following deadly crash". defenceweb.co.za. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  7. "Katanga Express". Aviation Safety Network.
  8. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

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