The latest crash of a police helicopter was caused by an unqualified pilot who failed to respond appropriately when a marabou stork flew dangerously close, investigators say.
He pushed the wrong lever, members of the investigating team told the Star. As a result, the aircraft lost power, stalled and created a vortex that pulled the Sh683 million chopper down.
The crash 11 days ago in Mathare area of the newly acquired aircraft was the fifth of a police plane or helicopter between August and September this year.
READ on:New Police Helicopter Crashes in Mathare
The toll raises questions about the quality of recruitment and training, among other issues.
Last Friday, investigators interviewed the four survivors. Investigators were drawn from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority; AgustaWestland of South Africa, subsidiary of the Italian manufacturer Finmeccanica; the Air Crash Investigation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The pilot said to have been flying the helicopter, Inspector Dennis Oduk, allegedly said his colleague Inspector Martin Ndungu was in control.
The two were among six trainees out of 10 who were considered by the Italian manufacturer not competent to pilot the aircraft — only to be copilots. Four of 10 were considered qualified. They received training in Italy.
Inspector Ndungu, undergoing treatment at the Nairobi West Hospital, and engineer Michael Kariuki, who was also on board, did not provide information. They are understood to have said they could not remember anything.
The fourth person aboard was identified as engineer Mandip Oshan seconded to the Kenya Police Service by the Italian manufacturer.
Oshan is understood to have told investigators Oduk was at the controls and did not know how to respond when a marabu stork flew near. It was attracted by the nearby dumpsite, posing the danger of a bird hit.
Members of the investigating team, speaking to the Star in confidence, said the account given by Mandip from his bed at Aga Khan hospital tallies with information from the flight data recorder.