Preliminary investigations into the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno have revealed that the aircraft was flying at a very low altitude before striking trees and bursting into flames in Nandi County.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the ill-fated chopper came down on Saturday evening, February 28, in Chepkiep, Mosop Sub-county, killing all six people on board. Nandi County Police Commander Samuel Mukuusi confirmed that investigators have secured key equipment from the wreckage, including the aircraft’s black box.
“The wreckage, which was extensively damaged by fire, was cordoned off as forensic teams retrieved flight instruments and other technical components that could help determine the cause of the crash,” Mukuusi said.
The recovered instruments will undergo detailed forensic analysis to establish whether the accident resulted from mechanical failure, pilot error, or adverse weather conditions.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced that independent crash investigators linked to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) will conduct a parallel probe. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days in line with international aviation protocols.
Chirchir added that Kenya’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID), under the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development, has been on-site since the crash occurred. “AAID has initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident and notified the State of Manufacture and Design of the Aircraft,” he stated.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo indicated that early findings point to adverse weather as a possible contributing factor.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the helicopter had earlier made an emergency landing in Mosop due to poor weather before attempting to take off again at around 4:45 pm. Residents claim the pilot assessed the conditions for about 10 minutes before resuming the flight amid heavy mist and intermittent showers.
“The helicopter remained airborne for only a few minutes before we saw it descending,” one witness said.
Among those who perished were Captain George Were, Kenya Forest Service ranger Amos Kipngetich Rotich, photographer Nick Kosgei, teacher Robert Kipkoech Keter, and Narok County Protocol Officer Wycliffe Kiprotich Rono.
The NPS has urged the public to remain calm as investigations continue, assuring that updates will be provided by the lead investigative agency once preliminary findings are formally released.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves across the country, with leaders and residents mourning the loss of the MP and the five others who died in the crash.
