Aviation Authorities Take Swift Action After Silverstone Accidents

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, in conjunction with Kenya Police, has launched a probe on the Silverstone Air company following two near-tragic incidents.

This is after one of their planes made an emergency landing at Eldoret International Airport when a wheel fell off during takeoff at Lodwar Airstrip.

 

A Silverstone Airplane that lost a wheel during take-off: PHOTO COURTESY

The Authority issued a press statement on the Monday incident saying; “KCAA wishes to inform the public that the investigation of the incidents and accident is being conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) of the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development, and Public Works.”

“KCAA is currently carrying out an audit inspection on the airline after various air incidents and an accident involving Silverstone Air Services. The audit is being performed in order to determine the level of compliance with the current Civil Aviation regulations and their own company approved manuals and procedures, ” it further stated.

The doomed airplane had five passengers, four crew members on board and was heading to Nairobi from Lodwar before being the journey was cut short by the technical hitch.

The airline management confirmed the incident saying, “We would like to confirm that earlier today our flight Dash 8 – 300 from Lodwar to Nairobi experienced an incident during takeoff and as a result, lost the number 3 wheel assembly.”

The passengers escaped unhurt and were booked into an aircraft operated by Skyward Airlines for the rest of the journey.

The probe comes after an outcry from members of the public who demanded KCAA to look into the airline after a series of accidents involving it.

On October 11, another Silverstone plane crashed shortly after taking off from Wilson Airport.

The Lamu-bound airplane had 5 crew members and 50 passengers on board where two were injured as a result of the crash.

On October 27, reports emerged that another one of its planes hit and damaged an East African Airplane at Wilson airport.

The multiple crashes have prompted air travelers to express their worst experiences when aboard these planes.

It is alleged that the airline has technical issues such as worn out tires and its poor management makes it worse.

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