Military probe has found that engine malfunction caused the chopper crash that killed CDF General Francis Ogolla and other officers.
In a report released on Friday, the Ministry of Defence said that the Huey Helicopter KAF 1501 was assessed to have had a relatively high level of reliability, having conducted several operational and training missions, including VIP flights.
"Further, the flight was operated by qualified, competent crew. However, dependent on information from the survivors, after experiencing Complete Power Loss, the Pilots of KAF 1501 attempted to control the Helicopter to a clear Landing Zone but lost positive control of the aircraft," the report read.
According to the report, the investigations established that the helicopter suffered Engine Compressor Stall (Surge).
This is consistent with witness report of a loud bang at the Engine compartment and the Measured Gas Temperature (MGT) gauge, which when powered, displayed an Over-Exceedance of 914 °C.
The Helicopter then experienced a Complete Power Loss, which was followed by a left yaw, drop in Engine Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), low RPM audio alarm and change in engine noise, as narrated by witnesses on the ground and accident scene reconstruction.
"Based on facts and evidence gathered, and indicated in the findings above, the Board of Inquiry is of the opinion that the Bell UH-1H-II (Huey) Helicopter KAF 1501 crashed due to Engine Malfunction."
The Chief of Defence Forces Ogolla died on April 18, 2024.
Ogolla died after a chopper he was travelling in alongside other officials crashed in Kaben, Marakwet East.
The chopper is said to have been carrying 12 people, including officers of the rank of General, when it went down.
Witnesses said it burst into flames on crashing. There was only one survivor believed to be a photographer, other officers said.
Ogola took over from General Robert Kibochi who departed after attaining the mandatory exit age of 62.
Before the appointment, General Ogolla was the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces.
Gen Ogolla was a graduate of ÉcoleMilitaire de Paris and the National Defence College of Kenya.
He graduated with a Diploma in International Studies and Military Science from Egerton University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Armed Conflict and Peace Studies (First Class Honors) and a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi.
He was married to Aileenn Ogolla, and blessed with two children and a grandson.
CDF is the highest-ranking military officer in the Kenya Defence Forces and the principal military adviser to the President of Kenya and the National Security Council.
