A Cessna 208B Caravan operated by Airworks was nearly destroyed May 19 during a landing accident at Mandeng airstrip in South Sudan. The number of people aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident is unknown, as are any reports of injuries to anyone onboard.
The Caravan’s right wing separated from the airframe while the left wing was extensively damaged along with the landing gear. A source recently reported the northwest-southeast airstrip measures 328- by 2,624 feet and is composed of black cotton soil. The local report said both people and animals are known to cross the runway regularly. The short length of the airstrip restricts Airworks, which operates the aircraft on UN humanitarian relief missions, to carrying no more than four passengers at any one time. The aircraft is also restricted to operating with a minimal fuel load.