On 4 July 2002, a Boeing 707-123B operated by Prestige Airlines crashed whilst attempting an emergency landing at Bangui Airport.

[1] The flight was bound for Brazzaville, but the crew decided to divert to Bangui when the landing gear failed to retract.

The crash occurred in clear weather at about 11:15 a.m. local time in the neighborhood of Guitangola, two miles short of the Bangui Airport's runway.

[3][4] The aircraft exploded upon touchdown, scattering wreckage and reportedly causing the roof of an empty house to collapse.

The witnesses reportedly did not hear the usual engine noise during the crash and saw no flames when the aircraft disintegrated.