Gen Ogolla crash probe reveals gaps, casts doubt on engine failure

A summary report of the crash that led to the death of Chief of the Defence Forces (DCF) Francis Ogolla on April 18, 2024, is now raising more questions than answers.

An aviation expert, who spoke to The Sunday Standard on condition of anonymity, said that after the chopper’s engine was replaced in December 2023, subsequent monitoring should have detected any issues.

“The problem was the engine. I don’t think the engines of those choppers were overhauled after purchase,” the expert said, adding, “There seemed to be a peculiar issue with this one, and the team likely didn’t have enough information about it.”

Kenya bought eight Bell UH-1H-II (Huey) helicopters from the US in 2018 and the expert thinks that the  government may have gotten the short end of the stick.

According to the report, the Huey Helicopter KAF 1501 crash was caused by an engine malfunction that came about due to overheating.

The expert says that the technicians at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) should have known about it if the tests in the summary report, that were reportedly done on it, were anything to go by.

“They should have identified the issue, grounded the aircraft, and inform the manufacturer that the engines were overheating. They should have asked, ‘What should we do with the engines?’—not continued flying,” says the expert.

Among the questions raised by the aviator from the report is why the chopper had an engine overhaul.

Engine malfunction

The report goes on to state several tests were done on the chopper, and by the time it crashed, it had remained with 19 flight hours until its next scheduled test.

Also, the engine change came barely two months after routine maintenance checks found no issues with the ‘old’ engine.

The question that army investigators failed to answer in the report is what caused the engine malfunction and what prompted the engine overhaul on December 12, 2023.

The aviator goes on to say that since the choppers had already been used in combat by the US Army, the manufacturer ought to have ensured they were in good shape and communicated any defects.

The aviator cites that the 2018 fleet of choppers Kenya purchased from the US have had engine issues, which speaks to a bigger problem.

The summary report on the KAF 1501 crash was released a few days before the first anniversary, which left 10 people dead and two survivors.

It was presented to President William Ruto on Friday by CDF General Charles Kahariri, Vice CDF Lt-General John Omenda, the Kenya Airforce Commander Major General Fatuma Ahmed and Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya.

The chopper crashed shortly after take-off from the Cheptulel Boys High School, where CDF Ogolla had gone to inspect construction work by the KDF in the school.

Those on the ill-fated flight with CDF Ogolla were Brigadier Swale Saidi (Commander Engineer Bridage), Colonel Duncan Keittany (Colonel Operations, Defence headquarters) and Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe (Staff Officer Infrastructure Defence headquarters)

Others were Captain Hillary Litali (Aide-de-Camp to CDF), Senior Sergeant John Kinyua (Flight Technician), Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi (CDF Security) and Sergeant Rose Nyawira (CDF Media).

Team competent

Four people had survived the crash, but two died in hospital, leaving Corporal Frankford Karanja (CDF media) and Colonel Kasaine Ole Kuruta (Defence Headquarters staffer) as the only survivors.

The flight path offered by the KDF investigations team also raises questions about the condition of the chopper, given the number of times it stopped for refueling.

It left the Wilson Airport on April 18, 2024, and was scheduled to go to Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.

It stopped at Chesit for refueling before making another stop at Kainuk, where it was refueled and left for the Cheptulel High School in Chesogon, West Pokot County arriving at 1:36pm.

The chopper took off from the school at around 2:22pm for Defence Forces Recruits Training School, Eldoret, but crashed a few minutes later at the Shamba la Amani community farm, where it caught fire from the impact.

It suffered Category Five (Cat 5) Damage, meaning the wreckage was beyond economic repair.

The report ruled out the crew’s incompetence finding that the two pilots had gained the required flight hours to fly the CDF with Major Magondu boasting of 1,731 flight hours. It described him as very experienced, and Captain Sora with 955 flight hours.

It adds that Major Magondu was jovial and very interactive with colleagues, while his co-copilot, Captain Sora, was reserved but communicated well with the investigation board, concluding that coordination between the two was less likely to cause it.

Overheating problem

Fuel and oil samples taken from the helicopter showed that they were within normal range and parts taken to the Bell Helicopter Textron, US showed no evidence of seizure or fractured teeth ruling out any technical aspects as cause.

Some of the key components, including the engine and wreckage, that were sent to Canada and the US for analysis are yet to be returned.

The investigations board also found that Senior Sergeant Kinyua had been adequately trained to do maintenance on the chopper.

The chopper was carrying 12 people on board which was within its required capacity of 13 people, therefore ruling out weight as the cause of the crash.