| 2006 Kenyan Air Force Harbin Y-12 crash | |
| Image Upright: | 1.15 |
| Occurrence Type: | Accident |
| Summary: | Controlled flight into terrain in bad weather |
| Site: | Mount Marsabit, Kenya |
| Origin: | Moi Air Base |
| Destination: | Marsabit airstrip |
| Occupants: | 17 |
| Passengers: | 13 |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Fatalities: | 14 |
| Injuries: | 3 |
| Survivors: | 3 |
| Aircraft Type: | Harbin Y-12 II |
| Tail Number: | 132 |
On 10 April 2006, a Kenya Air Force Harbin Y-12 II operating as Flight I-32, flying from Nairobi to Marsabit, Kenya, crashed into Mount Marsabit in bad weather as it was approaching Marsabit airstrip a second time after aborting its first attempt, killing 14 of the 17 occupants on board, including a number of politicians. The flight to the region was carrying a peace delegation meant to mediate regional feuds, which were exacerbated by a food crisis. In the aftermath of the accident, multiple politicians expressed their condolences, with three days of national mourning declared. The crash was the deadliest aviation accident in Kenya since the crash of a Swearingen Metroliner in July 2003, killing all 14 occupants on board, and the first involving government officials since the crash of a Grumman Gulfstream I in January 2003.
An investigation led by the Kenyan Air Force and representatives of the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation concluded that poor visibility and bad weather led to the aircraft crashing into the volcano. However, a report by The Standard alleged that the pilot-in-command was intoxicated, thus unfit to fly, with another report by The Daily Nation raising nationwide safety issues involving airstrips, including the one where the aircraft was due to land, finding that previous safety recommendations issued to improve airstrips had largely been unimplemented.
The flight to the region, carrying a peace delegation, was meant to mediate regional feuds between the nomadic communities of the Borana, Gabra, and Rendille people at the Ethiopia–Kenya border.[1] [2] Incidents such as livestock rustling and inter-clan fighting, most notably the Turbi massacre, left 90 people dead in 2005 alone.[3] Additional tensions and fighting had broken out due to a scarcity of resources, including water, grazing land, and food, mostly caused by a food crisis in the region,[4] [5] which was exacerbated by the lack of winter rains for five consecutive seasons. Furthermore, militia groups suspected of being part of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), also accused of participating in the Turbi Massacre, were attacking Kenyans living along the border.[6] The Government of Kenya was accused of contributing to the region's tensions, among others in the country, citing corruption, its failure to equally and adequately distribute its resources, and secure conflict ridden districts.[7] The planned peace talks, which were scheduled to be held at Marsabit's Pastoral Centre,[8] represented the first time that the leaders of the Borana, Gabra, and Rendille people had agreed to initiate peace talks and come up with a comprehensive peace program after years of hostilities.[9] Local church leaders had tried to reduce the ongoing tensions, albeit with mixed success.
The aircraft involved in the accident, manufactured in 2000, was a six-year-old twin-engine turboprop Harbin Y-12 II registered as 132.[10] [11] The aircraft had 1,032 hours of flying time and was last serviced in 2006. According to military spokesman Bogita Ongeri and General Staff Daudi Tonje, the aircraft was properly maintained and had not experienced any issues. It was one of six Harbin Y-12s to be imported from China in July 2000, during a ceremony held at Moi Air Base.[12] [13]
The Harbin Y-12, whose development began in 1980, is a 17-seat twin propeller light multi-purpose STOL aircraft that is produced by the Chinese Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had already been certified in dozens of countries and was awaiting certification in countries such as France and Canada.
The crew consisted of the pilot-in-command, Major David Macharia Njoroge, who had more than 2,000 hours of flying experience and was promoted to the rank of Major the year before,[14] the co-pilot, Captain Joseph Njogu Muriithi, Senior Sergeant and Air Force flight engineer Joseph Muriithi, and Senior Private Trevor Mwamunge. Joseph Muriithi and Trevor Mwamunge were both seated at the back of the plane.[15]
The flight, operating as Flight I-32,[16] was scheduled to fly from Moi Air Base, Nairobi, to Marsabit airstrip. At 09:00 AM local time, the aircraft took off from Moi Air Base.[3] According to the Kenya Meteorology Department, weather at Marsabit was expected to include rainy and misty conditions. Three hours into the flight, the co-pilot, Captain Joseph Njogu Muriithi, contacted Moi Air Base's air traffic control, telling them that he had heard a bang on the rear side of the aircraft, adding that he could not ascertain what was happening. No further communication between Moi Air Base's air traffic control (ATC) and the pilots were established.[17] As the flight approached the airstrip, the pilot-in-command decided to abort the landing due to the presence of heavy fog and proceeded to circle around Marsabit. At around 10 AM, as the pilots attempted a second approach, the flight hit a communications mast and crashed into Mount Marsabit in the Marsabit National Park,[18] [19] 3km (02miles) away from the airstrip. The aircraft broke into two and burst into flames. A local resident stated that there was a big fire and that only the tail and small parts of the wings were left unburnt. Out of the 17 occupants on board, 4 passengers initially survived the accident being seriously injured, but 1 later succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a hospital in Nairobi.[20] [21] All three survivors were seated at the back of the aircraft.
The crash was the deadliest aviation accident in Kenya since the crash of a Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II on Mount Kenya on 19 July 2003, killing all 14 occupants on board,[22] [23] and was the first aviation accident involving government officials since the crash of a Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I on 24 January 2003, killing 3 of the 12 occupants on board, including Labour Minister Ahmed Khalif and the two pilots, Abdikadir Mahat and Samuel Mungai.[24] The survivors included ministers Martha Karua, Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju, and former minister Linah Kilimo, among other dignitaries.
The victims included:[25]
The survivors included:
Kenya's President, Mwai Kibaki, issued a statement appealing for calm and prayers, adding that he had received the news with shock and disbelief, especially since the delegation of officials onboard the plane were headed to a peace mission in Marsabit.[26] [27] As part of the rescue and recovery missions, the Kenyan government sent two planes to assist in the efforts, with the Kenya Wildlife Service also sending a plane to evacuate the injured.[28] Three days of national mourning were declared by Mwai Kibaki.[29]
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Francis ole Kaparo, announced that Parliamentary activities were adjourned until the funeral of the victims was over.[30] This was the second time that the Parliament was disrupted by the death of a Minister of Parliament; the first time being in 1975 when Josiah Mwangi Kariuki was murdered.
The accident dealt a major blow to peace efforts in the region. A United Nations official stated that it would be difficult to be able to find new individuals who would have the same level of influence and expertise as those in the peace delegation. As a result of the accident, all four constituencies of Marsabit County were left without any parliamentary representatives. Public concern about the country's air safety arose following the accident, considering that two plane crashes involving senior members of the government occurred in less than three years. The crash is considered one of the most devastating aviation accident in Kenya's history.
Shortly after the accident, a body of inquiry was established.[31] The accident was investigated by the Kenyan Air Force and representatives of the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation, as they were the manufacturer of the aircraft involved. Chief of the General Staff, Jeremiah Kianga, was tasked with leading the investigation.[12] Investigators placed an exclusion zone around the wreckage. Shortly after the accident, government spokesman Alfred Mutua stated that initial findings considered bad weather to be the cause of the crash. Government sources speculated that the flight could have either been shot down or been struck by an object, with some officials saying that bad weather conditions and low visibility may have caused the accident.[32] At the time of the accident, heavy fog was present as the aircraft approached the runway.[33] The survivors said that the weather conditions and location of the airstrip were the main causes of the accident. The Nairobi ATC stated that the crew had not reported any problems during the daylight flight to Marsabit.
Preliminary findings did not lend credence to a mechanical issue involving the aircraft. On 22 April, it was reported that investigators were pursuing pilot error as the cause of the accident. A division of the investigation led by Chief of the General Staff Jeremiah Kianga focused on the pilots' social life, state of health, and the circumstances involving both pilots preceding the flight. Flight regulations maintained that pilots should not attempt to land at airports if the runway is not visible within 200feet above the ground. A pilot who had flown to Marsabit, talking to The Daily Nation, said that the absence of an instrument landing system (ILS), among other reliable navigational equipment, along with the aircraft not being capable of attempting a landing in "zero visibility," should have all been indications to not attempt an approach to Marsabit airstrip. Another pilot stated that the pilot should not have attempted to land, stating, "Pilot error is a most likely pointer." The final report, kept confidential, blamed the accident on bad weather.[34]
According to a report published by The Standard on 23 April, the pilot-in-command, Major David Macharia Njoroge, had been drinking at a bar a few hours before the flight, watching an FA Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal F.C. Throughout the duration of the match, the pilot consumed three beers before leaving the bar at around 11 PM. According to a radio personality, they stated that they had seen the pilot and his friend drinking between 12 AM and 4 AM. Flight regulations mandate that there should be no attempt to operate an aircraft within 8 hours of having consumed alcohol, while under the influence, with a blood alcohol content of 0.04% or greater, or while using any substance that could potentially compromise air safety. In general, it takes around 12 hours to get rid of the effects of alcohol. However, the pilot had only left the bar a few hours before the flight. Shortly after the accident, investigators took blood samples from the bodies of the pilots, which were to be examined by Kenya's Government Chemist, however, the results of these tests remain unknown. Three MPs of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) called for an investigation into claims that the pilot-in-command was drunk and that the aircraft involved was unairworthy.[35]
Alfred Mutua confirmed that the pilot-in-command was at a local club but stated that the rest of the report published by The Standard, whom he accused of consistently publishing lies, was falsified. In response, The Standard reiterated their position stating:[36]
Following the accident, an investigation by The Daily Nation uncovered issues involving Kenya's airstrips, including Marsabit's airstrip. Funding requested by the Provincial Administration to improve the airstrip was scarce, with only around one fifth of the amount requested being provided. As a result, the unmanned airstrip had no available ground crew that could have assisted the pilots and provided them guidance as they were attempting to land in low visibility. A pilot who had flown multiple times to Marsabit stated that its topography, which involves multiple natural barriers such as a ring of four hills and Mount Marsabit, made landing attempts difficult whether or not weather conditions were at their best.[37] Additionally, concerns regarding the airstrip's location had been raised.
Following a plane crash in 2003 that resulted in the deaths of Labour Minister Ahmed Khalif and the aircraft's two pilots, a Commission of Inquiry, led by senior counsel Lee Muthoga and named the Muthoga Inquiry, concluded in 2005 that most airstrips in Kenya were poorly maintained, which meant that most airstrips were unusable, lacked up-to-date weather reports, or were near tall buildings, slums, or tall trees. It also noted that oversight over these airstrips varied, with some being inspected regularly with others having not been inspected in years, owing to staff shortages. Recommendations that were issued as a result of the accident aiming at improving general oversight and quality of Kenya's airstrips were found to have not been sufficiently implemented, if any.[38] Additionally, in 1997, 2001, and 2002, the International Civil Aviation Organization had conducted safety oversight audits and had also issued recommendations to address the problems identified. The recommendations had yet to be addressed by the time the Muthoga Inquiry was underway.