Region
Africa

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 on Mt Kinangop: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
RE297
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nairobi - Nairobi
Location:
Mt Kinangop
Central
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful night training flight, the crew was returning to his base at Nairobi-Eastleigh Airport when the airplane crashed on Mt Kinangop (3,906 meters high) located 75 km north of Nairobi. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all five crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the crew was flying under IFR rules but below the minimum safe altitude for unknown reason.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Lt Michael Weight, pilot,
M/Eng William Joseph Beesley, flight engineer,
F/O Michael William Humphrey Owen, navigator,
F/O Robert Joseph Robinson, navigator,
Sgt James Keith Atkinson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Nairobi

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Caspar Air Charters
Registration:
VP-KEO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Nairobi-Wilson
Nairobi City District
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in Wilson Airport for unknown reason. The pilot was unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Nairobi

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
MW297
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Nairobi
MSN:
MW297
YOM:
1946
Location:
Nairobi-Wilson
Nairobi City District
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Due to a lack of coordination and a poor flight preparation, the crew completed the approach to Nairobi-Wilson Airport instead of Nairobi-Eastleigh Airport. Following a wrong approach configuration, the four engine aircraft landed long, and after touchdown, was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all 27 occupants were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Crew error.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul in Mombasa

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.65 Consul
Operator:
United Air Services - Tanzania
Registration:
VR-TAR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Dar es-Salaam – Mombasa
MSN:
5169
YOM:
1947
Location:
Mombasa
Coast
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Belly landed in Mombasa and slid for several yards before coming to rest. Both occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK Dakota C.4 near Isiolo

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN264
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fāyid – Nairobi
MSN:
15749/27194
YOM:
1945
Location:
Isiolo
Rift Valley
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, the right engine failed and caught fire. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a swampy area located near Isiolo. The aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair while all 15 occupants were able to evacuate safely. Crew from the 216th Squadron.
Probable cause:
The fire on the right engine was caused by the failure of a fuel line. The fuel spill in the nacelle and then caught fire.

Crash of a Avro 683 Lancaster in Nairobi

Date & Time: May 28, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
SW304
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nairobi - Nairobi
Location:
Nairobi-Eastleigh (Moi Air Base)
Nairobi City District
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft skidded and went out of control. The undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest. There were no casualties among the crew of five from the 82nd Squadron.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Garsen

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1946
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
VP-KCU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Nairobi – Mombasa
MSN:
6848
Location:
Garsen
Coast
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, both engines failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in the bush. While the aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair, all 8 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK off Kisumu: 28 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6812
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kisumu – Durban
MSN:
11987
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kisumu
Nyanza
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft crashed on an island located in the Winam Bay, northeast part of the Lake Victoria. All 28 occupants were killed, among them SAAF soldiers that were released after being prisoners of war.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty but Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority banned all night takeoffs from Kisumu Airport for several weeks following this accident.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Kisumu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FP115
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Kisumu
Nyanza
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The seaplane hit the water surface on landing, overturned and sank. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (259th Squadron):
F/O Stanley William Ives, pilot,
F/O Denis Claude William Churchill, pilot,
F/Sgt David Francis Deans, flight engineer,
F/Sgt George Thomas Parsons, navigator,
F/Sgt Noel Wilks, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Laurence Roy McIntosh, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/12251.php
Probable cause:
Misjudged landing by an inexperienced pilot on the Lake when it was glassy calm.The crew captain was not actually flying the aircraft at the time.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A off Kisumu: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1945 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6807
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Blackbushe – Istres – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Juba – Kisumu – Ndola – Pretoria
MSN:
9879
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kisumu
Nyanza
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a delivery flight from Blackbushe, UK, to the airbase of Waterkloof located in Pretoria. Several enroute stops were scheduled in Istres, Rome, Athens, Cairo, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Kisumu and Ndola. Shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed into Lake Victoria. Both crew members were rescued while the passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident may have been caused by katabatic wind that affects the Kisumu region in the early morning.
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