A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) inquiry has confirmed that an engine malfunction was responsible for the fatal helicopter crash that claimed the life of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla and nine other officers in Elgeyo Marakwet County nearly a year ago.
The Ministry of Defence released the findings on Friday, citing a critical engine failure as the cause of the tragedy involving a Kenya Air Force Huey helicopter, registration KAF 1501. The aircraft went down on April 18, 2024, while transporting the CDF and a team of officers during a security operation in the volatile North Rift region under Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
According to the investigation, the helicopter experienced an Engine Compressor Stall (Surge) mid-air. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud bang from the engine just before the aircraft lost power. A post-crash analysis of the aircraft’s Measured Gas Temperature (MGT) gauge — which investigators reconnected — revealed a spike to 914°C, a reading consistent with engine failure.
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The report outlines a chain of mechanical and physical responses after the failure: a sharp left yaw, a reduction in engine revolutions per minute (RPM), a low-RPM alarm, and a change in engine sound, all of which matched accounts given by witnesses and were supported by the crash site analysis.
Despite attempts by the highly trained flight crew to perform an emergency landing, the aircraft lost control and crashed into a field known locally as Shamba la Amani, shortly after departing from Cheptulel Boys High School in Marakwet East at approximately 2:20pm.
Out of the twelve people on board, only two survived, one of whom was believed to be a military photographer.
The ill-fated Bell UH-1H-II Huey helicopter, manufactured by Bell Textron Aerospace in the United States, had served reliably in Kenya’s military since 2016 under a bilateral defence support program.
The officers who perished alongside General Ogolla were:
- Brigadier Swaleh Said
- Colonel Duncan Keitan
- Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe
- Major George Magondu (pilot)
- Captain Sorah Mohamed
- Captain Hillary Butali
- Senior Sergeant John Kinyua
- Sergeant Cliffonce Omondi
- Sergeant Rose Nyawira
The aircraft was declared to have sustained Category Five damage — damage deemed beyond repair.
During the memorial held in Siaya County, President William Ruto had promised Kenyans a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, expressing his unwavering faith in the professionalism of the KDF. The probe was led by Kenya Air Force Commander General John Omenda.
Calls for transparency grew in the months following the tragedy, particularly from leaders in the Nyanza region. Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga urged the government not to dismiss the incident as routine, pointing to a pattern of unexplained high-profile deaths in the region. Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also demanded full disclosure, emphasizing the national significance of the loss.