Kenya Civil Aviation Authority suspends Silverstone Air Dash 8 fleet for a week

A Silverstone aircraft. KCAA has suspended its Dash 8 fleet for a week to allow further investigation and inspection. 

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has suspended Silverstone Air's Dash 8 fleet from flying for 7 days to allow inspection.

“They cannot operate until we come up with a report on what happened that led to the fall off of the wheel,” Mr Kibe said.

The KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe, however, made it clear that other makes and models of Silverstone planes would operate normally as they have met the required safety standards.

“In compliance with the KCAA directive to suspend operations on our Dash 8 fleet, we have temporarily suspended all our scheduled services, the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft remain our highest priority,” said Silverstone Air. 

Statement by Silverstone Air following KCAA's suspension of their Dash 8 fleet.

Kibe also told the Parliamentary Transport committee that Safe Air Company and Adventure Aloft licenses have been suspended due to safety concerns and should not be used by Kenyans.

Mishaps

Silverstone Air has been in the limelight following recent mishaps involving their planes.

An aircraft belonging to Silverstone Air on October 28, 2019, lost a tire as it took off from Lodwar Airstrip in Turkana County.

On October 28, there was panic after one of the rear wheels of an aircraft belonging to Silverstone Air detached broke loose as the plane took off from Lodwar Airstrip in Turkana County.

The plane which was carrying four passengers and five crew members en route Nairobi was forced to land at Eldoret International Airport.

In a statement after the incident, Silverstone Air said all the nine people who were on board were unhurt.

A Silverstone Air plane crashed during takeoff at Wilson Airport in Nairobi on October 11, 2019.

On October 11, a Silverstone Air plane crashed on the runway at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. The Lamu-bound airplane - flight 5Y-IZO – crashed shortly after take-off.

It had 5 crew members and 50 passengers on board, two of who were injured during the crash.  The other passengers were safely evacuated from the aeroplane and there were no fatalities reported. 

Silverstone Air's statement after the runway crash on October 11, 2019.