A Let L-410 Turbolet taxiing at Kikwit Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Congo L-410 Crash at Kenge Kills Two of the Army’s Top Generals

by Tamika Johnson | Sep 26, 2026 | Aviación militar, Noticias | 0 comments

The flight should have been routine: a short hop from Kikwit back to Kinshasa for a delegation returning from an official mission. Instead, on the afternoon of Friday 25 September, a Let L-410 Turbolet came down on a residential plot in Kenge, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kwango province, and nobody on board survived.

Among the dead were two of the most senior figures in Congo's military justice system: Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi, auditor general of the armed forces (FARDC). In a single afternoon, the country lost the head of its top military court and its chief military prosecutor.

Officials say the aircraft developed a technical problem en route and the crew tried to put it down at Kenge. What exactly failed is not yet known.

Datos rápidos

Fecha: Friday 25 September 2026, afternoon local time
Aeronave: Let L-410 Turbolet, a twin-turboprop commuter, reported as registration 9S-GUC
Operador: Tracep Congo Aviation
Ruta: Kikwit to Kinshasa, crashed while attempting to land at Kenge
Ubicación: Kenge, Kwango province, about 200 km east of Kinshasa
Víctimas mortales: All on board; reported tolls range from 13 to 17
Notable victims: Lt Gen Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende (High Military Court) and Lt Gen Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi (FARDC auditor general)
Investigación: Opened by Congo's civil aviation accident investigators; cause unknown

A Diversion That Never Made It

According to Kwango's vice-governor, Rémy Saki, the aircraft experienced a technical problem on the way from Kikwit to Kinshasa, and the crew attempted an emergency landing at Kenge. The L-410 crashed short of that, onto a residential plot in the town. Local reports say nobody on the ground was hurt.

Congolese outlet Oeil d'Afrique reports that the aircraft left Kikwit at 13:50 and crashed at around 14:05 local time. That timing has not yet been confirmed by the investigators, and the flight recorder had not been recovered by Friday evening.

The aircraft was operated by Tracep Congo Aviation, a Congolese charter company, and was carrying a military delegation plus crew. Registration details published by aviation trackers point to 9S-GUC.

The first reports reached aviation watchers on social media within hours. Details such as the diversion to Kenge and the fire after impact appeared early, and were later matched by statements from Congolese officials.

How Many Died? The Numbers Still Disagree

The death toll is still unsettled. Reuters and aviation outlets including AeroTime and aeroTELEGRAPH reported 13 dead. The Associated Press reported 14, quoting the army spokesman. Oeil d'Afrique, citing the vice-governor, put it at 17: sixteen adults and a baby. Afterburner reports the range until the investigators publish a final figure.

“In addition to the two general officers, twelve members of the delegation and the crew members also lost their lives in this accident”

Major General Sylvain Ekenge — spokesman for the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), quoted by the Associated Press

The chairman of Congo's Civil Aviation Authority, Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba, told the AP that the cause of the crash is unknown. Congo's accident investigation bureau has opened a probe, and specialist teams were sent from Kinshasa to the site.

A Let L-410A Turbolet of Busy Bee Congo — A Let L-410A Turbolet of Congolese operator Busy Bee Congo, photographed in 2008. The same type as the crashed Tracep aircraft, not the accident aircraft itself. Photo: Guido Potters / GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

Investigators now have to find out what went wrong between Kikwit and Kenge. For Congo's armed forces, the more immediate problem is replacing the two officers at the top of military justice, in the middle of a war in the east against the Rwanda-backed M23.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, FlightGlobal, aeroTELEGRAPH, Oeil d'Afrique, Actualite.cd, Netic News, Wikipedia (Let L-410 Turbolet)

Preguntas frecuentes

What happened in the Kenge plane crash in DR Congo?

On 25 September 2026, a Let L-410 Turbolet operated by Tracep Congo Aviation crashed in Kenge, Kwango province, while flying from Kikwit to Kinshasa. Officials say it developed a technical problem and the crew tried to land at Kenge. It came down on a residential plot, and everyone on board was killed.

Which Congolese generals died in the Kenge crash?

Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi, auditor general of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), both died. They were returning from an official mission to Kikwit with a military delegation.

How many people died in the Kenge L-410 crash?

Reports differ. Reuters and several aviation outlets reported 13 dead, the Associated Press reported 14 citing the army spokesman, and Congolese media quoting the Kwango vice-governor reported 17, including a baby. The final toll will come from the official investigation.

What caused the Tracep L-410 crash?

The cause is not yet known. Officials say the aircraft had a technical problem en route from Kikwit to Kinshasa and attempted an emergency landing at Kenge. The chairman of Congo's Civil Aviation Authority said the cause of the crash is unknown, and the accident investigation bureau has opened a probe.

What is the Let L-410 Turbolet?

The Let L-410 Turbolet is a Czech twin-turboprop commuter and utility aircraft that first flew in 1969. It carries up to 19 passengers, operates from short and unpaved runways, and is one of the most common regional aircraft in Africa, where 73 of the 178 L-410s in airline service were flying in 2015.

Where is Kenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

Kenge is the capital of Kwango province in southwestern DR Congo, roughly 200 km east of Kinshasa. It lies on the route between Kikwit and Kinshasa, which is why the crew of the stricken L-410 tried to land there.