A rare 56-year-old Douglas DC-8 freighter operated by Trans Air Cargo Service veered off the runway during landing at Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport on September 8, 2026. The aircraft, registered 9S-AJO, came to a stop on soft ground beyond the paved surface with its nose gear collapsed. The freighter sustained substantial damage in the incident. Videos from the scene show the large aircraft resting in a sandy, grassy area under overcast skies, with airport personnel and emergency vehicles present to inspect the situation.

No injuries or fire were reported following the runway excursion. The DC-8-70 had been performing a cargo flight to the Democratic Republic of Congo capital from an unspecified origin. Investigators from DR Congo’s BPEA, the country’s civil aviation investigation body, were promptly dispatched to the site. The aircraft’s condition after the event will be fully assessed as part of the formal inquiry into the circumstances of the landing.

The plane is a notably old example of the DC-8 series, originally delivered in 1971 and later converted for freighter operations. It joined the Trans Air Cargo Service fleet in 2011 after serving with other carriers over the decades. Vintage jets of this type remain in limited use for cargo work in certain regions of Africa, where they continue to handle demanding routes despite their age. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of operating older aircraft in environments that can include variable runway conditions and infrastructure limitations.

Airport authorities and emergency responders secured the area around the aircraft after it came to rest. The soft ground outside the runway helped bring the freighter to a halt but contributed to the collapse of the nose landing gear. Weather reports for the period indicated reduced visibility and overcast conditions at the time of the landing. These factors may form part of the investigation’s review of operational and environmental elements surrounding the event.

The DC-8’s long service history spans more than five decades, making it one of the older pure-jet freighters still flying commercially. Its continued operation reflects the economics of regional cargo transport in parts of Africa, where such aircraft fill specific niches. However, events like this runway excursion draw attention to the maintenance, training and infrastructure demands associated with aging fleets. The outcome of the BPEA investigation will likely provide further details on the sequence of events and any contributing factors.

As the aircraft sits off the runway pending recovery and detailed examination, the incident serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in African aviation cargo operations. Trans Air Cargo Service and local authorities will work through the process of assessing the damage and determining next steps for the rare freighter. Further updates are expected once investigators complete their initial on-site work and begin analyzing available data from the flight.