Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51 accident near Goma, Cd, April 15, 2008
On April 15, 2008, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51, registered N9QCHN, was destroyed in an accident near Goma. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 3 people were killed and 40 people were seriously injured; 51 others were unhurt.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2008
- Place
- Goma, Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 40 people were seriously injured; 51 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51 · all DC-9-51s on the register
- Registration
- N9QCHN · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 15, 2008, a Hewa Bora DC-9-51, registration 9Q-CHN, overran runway 18 and crashed into a residential area after aborting the takeoff. The aircraft was destroyed along with several residential buildings. Of the 86 passengers and 8 crewmembers onboard, 3 passengers received fatal injuries and 40 received minor or serious injuries. Initial reports indicate there were 37 ground persons that received fatal injuries and 71 that received minor or serious injuries. The investigation is being conducted by the Republic of Congo. The NTSB has assigned an Accredited Representative to assist the investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the Country of Manufacture and Design of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Goma
- Destination: Kinshasa
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 40 | 43 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.