In the wake of the tragic helicopter crash that took the life of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Francis Ogolla last year, the Kenya Air Force has undertaken significant revisions to its operational procedures, aimed at bolstering flight safety and averting future incidents.
The crash, which occurred in April 2024 during Gen. Ogolla’s visit to troops involved in Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) across North Rift Counties, was officially attributed to an engine malfunction, according to findings presented to President William Ruto on Friday.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya handed over the report to the President at State House, Nairobi. She was joined by CDF General Charles Kahariri, Vice CDF Lt-General John Omenda, and Kenya Air Force Commander Major-General Fatuma Ahmed. The report, compiled by a Board of Inquiry (BOI), sheds light not only on the technical failure that led to the crash but also highlights the competence of the crew and the robustness of the aircraft’s service record.
“Based on the facts and evidence gathered, as indicated in the findings, the Board of Inquiry (BOI) is of the opinion that the Bell UH-1H-II (Huey) Helicopter KAF 1501 crashed due to engine malfunction,” the report stated.
According to the BOI, the aircraft experienced a compressor stall, commonly referred to as a surge an event that is consistent with survivor accounts and physical evidence gathered from the crash site. Witnesses recalled hearing a loud bang from the engine, while instrumentation revealed extreme heat conditions.
“The engine was found to have experienced high temperatures as proven by the measured gas temperatures (MGT) gauge, which when powered displayed an over-exceedance of 914 °C,” read the report. The report further detailed a chain of failure, beginning with a power loss, a sharp left yaw, and changes in engine noise, all of which made recovery impossible despite the pilots’ best efforts to guide the aircraft to a clear landing zone.
Despite the failure, the report lauded the professionalism and readiness of the crew, suggesting that human error was not a significant factor. “Both pilots were mission ready in accordance with Flying Order Book (FOB), Squadron Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Categorization, Instrument Rating and Annual Aircrew Medicals. The BOI concluded that the crew had sufficient flying hours to be considered above average Captain and Co-pilot respectively,” the report noted.
Investigators described the captain as “a very experienced and competent pilot,” while his co-pilot was “a slightly reserved individual who communicated well when necessary,” affirming, “This was a good crew combination. Crew coordination was less likely to be a contributing factor.”
Importantly, the Kenya Air Force has already begun implementing changes based on the BOI’s findings. “Consequently, the Kenya Air Force has updated and reviewed its Standard Operating Procedures to avert future occurrences,” the report stated, marking a critical step in institutional learning and risk mitigation.
