Sun Air Services Convair CV-580 accident at Amisi

The Sun Air Services Convair CV-580 accident at Amisi occurred on 27 April 2006. On that day, a Convair CV-580F of the South African Skyhaul, operated for the Congolese Sun Air Services, which had departed from Goma, ran off the runway on landing at Amisi Airport, overturned and caught fire. All eight occupants of the aircraft died in the accident.

Accident sequence

The aircraft took off from Goma at 09:30 local time for the flight to Amisi. The flight initially proceeded without any particular incidents, but on landing the aircraft bounced back into the air three times in succession. After the third touchdown the left main landing gear broke. Owing to the friction generated by the aircraft sliding on its fuselage and the broken landing gear, the Convair ran off the runway to the left. For a brief moment it seemed that the captain had managed to bring the aircraft back under control and steer it to the right onto the runway, but then the aircraft swerved to the left once more and the left wing grazed an embankment. The aircraft slid a further 200 metres, during which the left wing and the left engine were torn off. The fuselage collided with a drainage furrow and slid a further 40 metres before coming to rest on its upper side. After the impact a fire broke out, which completely destroyed the aircraft. All occupants suffered fatal injuries.