Preliminary findings indicate that the KDF Chopper, which resulted in the tragic deaths of CDF Gen. Francis Ogolla and nine other military officers, was not mechanically sound.
Investigators have cited a malfunction with the helicopter’s propeller at the time of the fatal crash.
According to first-hand witnesses, the propeller of the Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopter suddenly stopped rotating shortly after takeoff.
This caused the helicopter’s engine to fail, leading to the aircraft’s collapse and subsequent explosion, resulting in the death of 10 individuals on board, while two others narrowly escaped.
A team of experts, led by Major-General John Omenda, commander of the Kenya Air Force, is diligently investigating the cause of the crash. Their focus is on examining the helicopter’s mechanical condition before takeoff and the pilots’ condition at the time of the incident.
The ill-fated chopper was part of a fleet of Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopters acquired by the KDF from the US in 2016.
