Isongo Airport

The closure was not due to a single documented event but rather a gradual abandonment. The primary reasons are believed to be a combination of economic decline, lack of funding for maintenance, and the widespread political and military instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the late 20th century. Airstrips like this, often built for specific purposes (e.g., missionary work, plantation support, or government administration), were frequently abandoned when those operations ceased in the region.

The site is completely abandoned and unusable for aviation. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of a single runway, approximately 1,200 meters long, which is now heavily overgrown with grass, shrubs, and trees. There are no visible buildings, hangars, or any infrastructure remaining. The former airstrip is being reclaimed by the surrounding natural vegetation.

Isongo Airport was a small, local utility airstrip, not a major commercial or military airport. Its ICAO code, CD-0044, is an unofficial identifier typically assigned to unregistered or minor airfields. Its historical significance was vital to the remote community of Isongo. When active, it would have served as a critical link for transporting essential supplies, mail, medical personnel, and facilitating medical evacuations. Operations would have been limited to small, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capable propeller aircraft, such as Cessna, Piper, or Britten-Norman Islander, that could operate from a short, unpaved grass or dirt runway.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Isongo Airport. The airstrip is in a state of complete disrepair and would require total reconstruction, including clearing extensive vegetation, grading, and resurfacing. Given its remote location and the lack of apparent economic drivers in the immediate area, it is highly unlikely that funding would be allocated for its rehabilitation in the foreseeable future.