Instructor, Trainee Pilot Die as 2 Planes Collide Mid-Air in Nairobi

By Jack Joshua

Posted on 5 March 2024

-A trainee pilot and a flying instructor have died after a mid-air collision involving a training aircraft and a passenger plane

-The collision sent the smaller plane crashing down into the Nairobi National Park

A trainee pilot and his instructor have died after a collision involving a training aircraft and a passenger plane.

The deceased were on board a Cessna aircraft belonging to Ninety-Nines Flying School.

The aircraft crashed into the Nairobi National Park killing the two on the spot.

Reports say, the two planes collided above the Nairobi National Park in the capital, sending the smaller training plane crashing down.

The passenger plane, a Dash 8 operated by Safarilink Aviation with 44 people onboard, was heading to Diani in Kwale when the crew reported a loud bang a few moments after take-off from Wilson Airport.

Nairobi county police commander Adamson Bungei has confirmed the deaths of the flying instructor and student.

“I can confirm a student and a trainer on the training aircraft died during the incident,” said Bungei.

Safarilink De Havilland Canada DHC-8-300 damaged after colliding midair with a Cessna 172 shortly after departure from Nairobi Wilson Airport in Kenya.

No casualties were reported from the Safarilink passenger plane.

“Safarilink Aviation wishes to report that this morning at 9:45 Local Time our flight number 053 with 39 passengers and 5 crew on board headed to Diani experienced a loud bang soon after take-off.

The crew decided to immediately turn back to Nairobi-Wilson Airport for further inspection and assessment and landed safely. There were no casualties reported,” Safarilink said in a statement.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has since started investigations to establish the circumstances leading to the collision.

“Investigations have commenced through various agencies led by the Air Accident Investigation Department (MID) and the National Police Service to establish the cause of the accident,” KCAA said.

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