Military chopper crashes, injuring three

By Cyrus Ombati

A military helicopter on training mission crashed on Monday and burst into flames near Juja’s Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUA).

Military and police said the pilot, co-pilot and a technician who were on board survived the accident and are receiving treatment at the Moi Forces Memorial hospital, Nairobi.

The pilot sustained a fractured hand, co-pilot escaped with fractured legs and the technician had slight multiple injuries.

The Russian made M117 helicopter, which is among those that were recently acquired developed a mechanical problem and crashed at around 5pm.

Military spokesman Bogita Ongeri said the injured included a Captain and a Lieutenant.

"The chopper was on routine training when it crashed. The crew jumped out after it touched the ground. It then burst into flames," he said on the phone.

The incident was the first to affect the fleet that was recently acquired by the army.

Police and military officials who were informed of the incident rushed there but watched from a distance as it went up in flames.

Witnesses said the chopper landed on an open field before those on board were seen struggling to get out.

Reports indicated the Kenya Air Force purchased 3 Mi-171 Hips in 2010 as medium-lift helicopters to supplement its ageing fleet of IAR 300 Pumas which had been flying for more than 20yrs.

The type of chopper that crashed is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship.

The Soviet Union specifically designed the Mi-17 for the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

The Mi-17 can be recognized because it has the tail rotor on the port side instead of the starboard side, and dust shields in front of the engine intakes.

In May 2008 licensed production of the Mi-17 started in China, with production being led by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant JSC and the Sichuan Lantian Helicopter Company Limited in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where Kenya acquired the fleet.