Created Friday, Mar 3rd 2023 09:38Z, last updated Wednesday, May 8th 2024 19:00Z
A SJL Aeronautica Embraer ERJ-135, registration D2-FIA performing a flight from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (DR Congo) with 33 people on board, landed on Lubumbashi's runway 07 but overran the end of the runway, steered left clear of the localizer antenna and came to a stop about 350 meters/1150 feet past the end of the runway. There are reports of minor injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
No weather data are available, the local weatherstation reported no precipitation on Mar 2nd (up to 20:00L) and 3rd 2023 (from 08:00L) with light winds (less than 4 knots) from east to south. Local media however report there was rain in Lubumbashi all night.
In May 2024 DR Congo's BPEA released their final report in French only (editorial note: to serve the purpose of global prevention of the repeat of causes leading to an occurrence an additional timely release of all occurrence reports in the only world spanning aviation language English would be necessary, a French only release does not achieve this purpose as set by ICAO annex 13 and just forces many aviators to waste much more time and effort each in trying to understand the circumstances leading to the occurrence. Aviators operating internationally are required to read/speak English besides their local language, investigators need to be able to read/write/speak English to communicate with their counterparts all around the globe).
The report concludes the causes of the accident were:
Too long a roll out.
Contributing factors were:
- light rain
- delayed reaction by the captain
- non-deployment of reversers, spoilers and lack of braking
- wet runway
The BPEA analysed that the first officer was pilot flying, the captain was pilot monitoring. The aircraft performed an ILS approach to runway 07, however, tower had instructed them to use the left side of the runway to avoid two potholes on the runway.
According to testimony by the crew the conditions for the aircraft to enter ground mode were never met, the aircraft remained in flight mode disabling the thrust reversers, spoiler deployment and braking, however, emergency braking would have been available.
There is no emergency procedure for wet runway, no spoilers, no reversers, no brakes is planned by the manufacturer. This is why the aircraft rolled down the runway. Shortly before the end of the runway the captain managed to regain control of the aircraft, steered the aircraft left clear of the localizer antenna and brought the aircraft to a stop in mud 200 meters past the runway end.
The aircraft seen after the overrun:
Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):
