Investigators have found that the helicopter that crashed at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County struck a rock near the mountain’s summit before plunging down the slope.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

According to a preliminary report obtained by Kenyans.co.ke , the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID) said the accident occurred at about 9:13am on August 19 after the pilot reportedly made a manoeuvre near the mountain to facilitate sightseeing and photography.

“Upon arrival at Mount Ololokwe, the helicopter conducted a low-level flight along the cliff face, apparently to facilitate sightseeing and photography. During a subsequent manoeuvre involving a climb above the ridgeline followed by a 180-degree left turn down the steep slope, the helicopter’s landing-gear skid struck a protruding rock formation near the summit,” the report stated.

The Airbus EC130 B4, operated by Lady Lori (Kenya) Ltd, a helicopter charter company, was carrying pilot Josh Outram and six passengers, including former Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi Contugi, his wife Stephany Holihan, Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez, Miami entrepreneur Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra.

📌 What You Need to Know

The group had flown to Mt Ololokwe, where the passengers were scheduled to have breakfast at the summit.

Flight tracking showed the helicopter flying close to the cliff face before turning back and beginning a 180-degree turn down the mountain.

During the turn, one of the helicopter’s landing skids hit a rock sticking out near the top of the mountain.

The impact broke off the landing gear and caused the helicopter to lose stability before it rolled down the steep slope and went over a cliff.

The wreckage landed about 1,196 feet below the point where the rock was struck and was later badly damaged by fire, leaving all people on board dead.

“The impact resulted in the shearing and separation of the landing-gear assembly, with portions of the skids remaining at the initial point of contact. Following the impact, the fuselage and remaining aircraft structure descended uncontrollably down the steep mountainside and over the cliff precipice, coming to rest approximately 1,196 ft from the initial point of impact at the base of the cliff,” the AAID observed.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke