Investigation Summary
The accident occurred at Goma International Airport, a facility where the operational runway length had been reduced from its original dimensions to approximately 2,000 meters (or as little as 1,600 meters according to some reports) due to a 2002 eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano. This reduction in length, combined with the high elevation and afternoon temperatures, severely limited the safe Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) for the 31 year old DC-9. During the takeoff roll, the number one engine suffered a catastrophic, uncontained failure approximately 300 meters into the run. The aircraft failed to lift off and overran the runway threshold, crashing into the Birere market area. The disaster was exacerbated by the lack of functioning firefighting equipment at the airport, requiring international UN peacekeepers and aid agencies to lead the rescue and fire suppression efforts. Despite the severity of the event, as of 2011, the NTSB still classified the case as a major ongoing investigation assisting the DRC, and no final report from Congolese authorities has been publicly released in the years since.
Final Conclusions
The investigation identified an uncontained failure of the number one engine during takeoff as the primary trigger. The aircraft's inability to stop within the available runway was influenced by the shortened runway length caused by volcanic activity and the high density altitude of the airport. The high ground fatality count was attributed to the proximity of residential and market structures to the airport perimeter.
Video Analysis
Hewa Bora Airways Flight 122 Aftermath Footage — News and aftermath footage of the Hewa Bora Airways DC-9 crash in Goma, showing the wreckage in the residential market area.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Engine 1 (Left)
Suffered an uncontained failure during the takeoff roll, leading to a loss of thrust and a significant fire.
Runway 18/36
The usable length was reduced to approximately 2,000 meters due to volcanic lava, which restricted the safety margins for aborted takeoffs.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was 31 years old at the time of the accident.
- 02Goma International Airport's runway 18/36 was partially buried by lava from the 2002 Nyiragongo eruption, leaving only about 2,000 meters usable.
- 03On April 11, 2008, just four days before the crash, the EU revoked the single-aircraft exemption previously held by Hewa Bora Airways for a Boeing 767-266ER (9Q-CJD).
- 04The airport had no functioning firefighting equipment to respond to the crash.
- 05The total death toll reached 47 by April 19, including ground casualties and hospital deaths.
- 06Survivors included the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan bishop of Central Africa, Ignatios.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Runway Rehabilitation
The World Bank and German government eventually funded projects to rehabilitate the runway and remove the lava flow to restore full operational length.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Government Negligence
Reference ↗Local human rights organizations and media outlets blamed the DRC government for the disaster, citing years of neglect regarding airport infrastructure and the failure to clear volcanic debris from the runway.