Please enable JavaScript to view advertisements.
×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Kenya’s Boldest Voice
★★★★ - on Play Store
Download App
×
The Standard Group PLC The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.
  • Standard Group Plc HQ Office,
  • The Standard Group Center,Mombasa Road.
  • P.O Box 30080-00100,Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Telephone number: 0203222111, 0719012111
  • Email: corporate@standardmedia.co.ke

A legal post-mortem of report on 2024 midair collision in Nairobi

An aerial view of Wilson Airport in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

The release of Preliminary Investigation Report 01/03/2024 by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department is a watershed moment for aviation law in Kenya. While the report disclaims the purpose of apportioning "blame or liability," its factual disclosures provide an evidentiary foundation for what will likely be a landmark case in the law of torts and statutory duty.

On March 5, 2024, a Cessna 172M (5Y-NNJ) and a Dash 8 (5Y-SLK) occupied the same space at 6,100 feet over Nairobi National Park. The resulting collision claimed two lives and destroyed an aircraft. As a legal practitioner, the report reveals three critical areas of exposure that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the respective operators must answer for. The primary legal defence in midair collisions typically rests on the "See-and-Avoid" principle enshrined in the Kenya Civil Aviation (Rules of the Air) Regulations. Under Visual Flight Rules, the ultimate responsibility for separation lies with the pilot-in-command.

Premium Article

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Uncover the stories others won't tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access.
Continue Reading  →
What you get
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimised reading
  • Weekly newsletters & digests
Pay via
M - PESA
VISA
Airtel Money
Secure Payments Kenya's most trusted newsroom since 1902
Support Independent Journalism

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.

Journalism can't be free because the truth demands investment. At The Standard, we invest time, courage and skills to bring you accurate, factual and impactful stories. Subscribe today and stand with us in the pursuit of credible journalism.

Pay via
M - PESA
VISA
Airtel Money
Secure Payment Kenya's most trusted newsroom since 1902