Beech 1900C accident near Rumbek, Sd, May 2, 2008
On May 2, 2008 at about 7:10 am local time, a Beech 1900C, registered N5YFLE, was destroyed in an accident near Rumbek. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 20 people were killed.
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
- May 2, 2008 · about 7:10 am local time
- Place
- Rumbek, Sudan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 20 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900C · all 1900Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5YFLE · 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 May 2, 2008, about 0710 UTC, 5Y-FLE, Beech 1900C, a chartered flight, operated by Flex Air of Nairobi, Kenya, experienced a loss of power in both engines, and crashed near Rumbek, Southern Sudan. The 2 flightcrew and 18 passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. There was fire. The departure point was Wau, Southern Sudan. The final destination of the flight was Juba, Southern Sudan with a stop at Rumbek. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Southern Sudan. A U.S. technical advisor has been assigned to assist the Government of Southern Sudan with their investigation.
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
- Operator: Flex Air Cargo Unlimited
The flight
- Departed from: Wau
- Destination: Rumbek
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 18 |
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.