Troubling skies: Inside the surge in aircraft crashes

Various investigation reports show that many crashes stem from pilot error, and poor interpretation of instruments. More than 15 aircraft have crashed across the country since the start of 2025. Most of the incidents have been linked to technical failures, human error, and increasingly unpredictable weather. After months of investigations into the spike in aviation mishaps, The Standard Motoring team visited the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department under the Ministry of Transport to understand what is driving the troubling trend. The latest tragedy occurred on October 28, 2025, when a Mombasa Air Safari aircraft, registration 5Y-CCA, crashed in Tsimba Golini Ward in Matuga Sub-County, Kwale County. All 11 people on board were killed. The plane was en route from Diani to Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara and crashed shortly after takeoff. A month earlier, a Cessna Citation 560XLS operated by AMREF crashed in Mwihoko, Kiambu County, killing six people, including four crew members and two people on the ground. Early this year, a military investigation revealed that an engine malfunction caused the helicopter crash that killed former Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla and nine other officers on April 18, 2024. In its report, the Ministry of Defence said the Huey helicopter had been assessed as reliable and had conducted several operational and training missions, including VIP flights. "The flight was operated by a qualified, competent crew. However, dependent on information from the survivors, after experiencing Complete Power Loss, the Pilots of KAF 1501 attempted to control the Helicopter to a clear Landing Zone but lost positive control of the aircraft," the report read. How aircraft are registered in Kenya The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) requires that all civilian aircraft bear the "5Y" registration prefix, followed by unique letters such as 5Y-KST or 5Y-BEN, similar to number plates on vehicles. Military aircraft in Kenya use different identifiers. Kenya Air Force planes carry the prefix KAF, while Kenya Army aircraft use numeric identifiers followed by the designation 'ARMY,' such as 378 ARMY. Why the rising accident cases? Human error and situational awareness Various investigation reports show that many crashes stem from pilot error, poor interpretation of instruments, or delayed responses to cockpit warnings. The Standard engaged Gabriel Yator, a retired pilot with over a decade of experience. He points to gaps in coordination and lapses in continuous training. "In aviation, we have Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). This is where a functioning plane hits terrain due to pilot error. It has been a recurring cause for most aircraft, including the famous Boeing 737-800," he explained. "A simple human error can risk hundreds of passengers on board. Remember, this is a monster with a cruise speed of 842 km/h with a top speed of up to 946 km/h," Yator stated. Maintenance and mechanical failures Inadequate servicing, substandard repairs, and ignored maintenance schedules have also contributed to in-flight failures. Yator agrees with Charles Owour, an aviation engineer at Wilson Airport, who says a weak maintenance culture allows small defects to escalate into fatal problems. "Most of the light aircraft are not serviced as regularly as they should be. They operate from some of the remotest airstrips. Take, for example, flights on the Nairobi-Mandera route. There is no tarmacked runway in Mandera. They need proper checks before going airborne," avers Owour. Weather and terrain Kenya's diverse geography, from strong coastal winds to mountainous regions, also poses risks, especially for small aircraft. Erratic weather patterns, including low visibility, wind shear, and heavy storms, have further increased the danger. One aircraft that crash-landed in the Maasai Mara in 2024 was blamed on poor visibility. "When the weather is not clear, don't fly unless it's an emergency, and the pilot should be in constant communication with the air traffic control tower," Yator advises. Regulatory and systemic gaps Weak oversight, slow accident investigations, and limited enforcement of Safety Management Systems (SMS) have drawn criticism from aviation experts. Delayed reports mean lessons are learned too late, or not at all, allowing unsafe practices to continue. Light aircraft and operator risks Most plane crashes involve small aircraft operated by private companies with limited safety margins. Overloading, poor weight distribution, and lax adherence to flight protocols are recurring problems. "The small aircraft that ferry goods and passengers between the counties don't really consider the weights they lift. In such cases, aerodynamics and landing become a challenge, especially for inexperienced pilots," Owour explained. Understanding the black box In aviation safety, the black box is the silent witness. Interestingly, despite its name, it is not black at all but a bright orange, often with reflective strips to make it easier to locate in wreckage. All commercial aircraft carry two such devices: The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). Together, they form the aircraft's memory, recording thousands of data points throughout a flight. An aircraft blackbox. In the event of an accident, these devices (built to endure catastrophic conditions) often become the key to unlocking what went wrong. The term "black box" predates modern aviation technology and is widely believed to be a metaphor for something mysterious. Experts agree that while mechanical failures play a role, Kenya's aviation safety challenges run deeper, rooted in human error, environmental hazards, and systemic oversight gaps. Tightening regulations, strengthening pilot training, and enforcing rigorous maintenance standards, they say, are crucial steps toward restoring confidence in the country's skies.

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