The government has cleared the air on the cause of a helicopter crash involving Narok Governor Samuel Tunai on October 17.
Transport CS James Macharia has dismissed reports that the helicopter had developed mechanical problems leading to the crash.
The CS notes in a preliminary report, that the pilot had made three flights that day, each with two passengers on board. The three flights on a Robinson R44 Raven II registration 5Y-MEP, operated by the Karen Blixen Camp Trust, were uneventful.
Macharia clarified that weather conditions were to blame for the crash.
The pilot reported that while the helicopter was in a hover on a northerly heading (at approximately 15 meters above ground), with 15knots indicated airspeed, he got a low RPM warning and slightly lowered the collective control descending into a wheat field.
The report notes that the pilot made a right yaw turn with the intention that the spot turn would stop at 180° so that the helicopter could be stabilized in a hover facing the terrain of the Melili area before transitioning to forward flight over the wheat field.
The governor had attended a burial ceremony at Melili, and after the function, the pilot planned to fly him to the south-eastern side of the Mau forest to inspect the extent of deforestation.
However, the helicopter developed into a continuous uncontrolled forward movement before crashing into the wheat field. Nobody was injured during the incident.
The CS added that the pilot was fit for the task and had gone for a medical examination on August 7, 2019, hence declared fit and issued with a class two certificate valid for 24 months.
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