TRAVEL · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Last‑Mile DC‑8 Veers Off Kinshasa Runway, Nose Gear Collapses
WHY IT MATTERS
The collapsed nose gear will ground the DC‑8 until repairs are finished, temporarily shrinking the small pool of operational DC‑8s and affecting cargo capacity in the area.
What happened
At 7:30 AM on Tuesday, the tail‑number 9S‑AJO Douglas DC‑8 of Trans Air Cargo Service skidded off the runway at Kinshasa N’Djili International Airport, leaving the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft, one of the few airworthy DC‑8s still in service worldwide, was photographed in the damaged state shortly after the incident.
No reports of injuries were released, but the collapse of the nose gear renders the jet inoperable until repairs are completed. The mishap underscores the operational risks associated with aging aircraft and the need for rigorous maintenance and runway safety protocols.
The incident will temporarily reduce the already limited fleet of functional DC‑8s available for cargo operations in the region.
PRIMARY SOURCES
One Of The World's Last 2 Flying DC-8s Veers Off Kinshasa Runway, Nose Gear Collapses
Simple Flying · Luke Diaz · Discovery only; publisher copyright terms apply