A Routine Flight Turned Tragic: Fresh Revelations on Saitoti Chopper Crash on June 10, 2012
The flight on Sunday, June 10, 2012, was supposed to be routine for the veteran pilot and his VIP passenger.
However, the 10 am flight was far from ordinary.
The day’s dramatic events placed Major (rtd) Charles Munyeki Wachira at the center of a controversial air accident investigation into a national tragedy.
Pilot Wachira departed from Nakuru and made a stop in Naivasha to pick up Ms. Ida Odinga, the wife of then-Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The helicopter then took off for Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, where Ms. Odinga was set to attend a church fundraiser in Embakasi.
As Wachira flew over Limuru, he radioed Wilson Airport for clearance. The air traffic controllers granted permission but inquired about the weather in Limuru. Wachira, interpreting this as a standard advisory request, reported fine flying conditions.
Approaching the Kabete area, Wachira informed the tower of poor visibility towards Racecourse and Ngong Hills due to cloudy and misty conditions. It was then that Ida informed him of breaking news on her phone.
Internal Security Minister George Saitoti had died in a helicopter crash in Kibiko, Ngong Forest.
Mr. Saitoti and his deputy, Orwa Ojode, perished when their Eurocopter AS-350B3 police helicopter crashed just before 9 am. Control tower officials lost contact with the pilots six minutes after takeoff.
Also killed were pilots Luke Oyugi and Nancy Gituanja, along with police officers Joshua Tonkei and Thomas Murimi.
Wilson Airport
Oyugi and Gituanja had collectively logged over 15 hours in the AS-350 model.
Wachira received official communication about the ill-fated aircraft, registration 5Y-CDT, only after landing at Wilson Airport.
The loss was personal for Wachira; Oyugi and Gituanja were his aviation students, whom he had assessed for a pre-flight test just four months earlier.
As a certified instructor and KCAA-approved flight test examiner since 1990, Wachira regularly evaluated pilots.
These assessments involve testing pilots’ knowledge of specific aircraft, both theoretically and practically.
The Kenya Police Air Wing had enlisted Wachira to evaluate its pilots’ competence with the AS 350 helicopter.
“I flew the first AS 350 in the country. To qualify as an examiner, I need a type rating on my license, instructor credentials, and KCAA approval,” Wachira stated in a September 10, 2012, report to the commission investigating the Saitoti crash.
A KCAA licensing officer had contacted Wachira to schedule tests for the two pilots.
Wachira assessed Gituanja and Oyugi separately on January 24 and February 15, 2012, respectively, with both passing the tests.
By the check-out date, Gituanja had approximately 448 flight hours, including 4 hours and 20 minutes on the AS 350 during training in South Africa.
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Oyugi had flown 533 hours cumulatively, including about 10 hours on the AS 350 under the Kenya Police Air Wing.
Their deaths deeply affected Wachira due to his previous interactions with them.
When the government initiated a public inquiry into the crash, Wachira was named to the team.
Lady Justice Kalpana Rawal chaired the commission, with members including Wachira, Maj-Gen (Rtd.) Harold Tangai, Capt Peter Maranga, Fred Opot, Faith Irari, and James Warui, assisted by Clatus Macowenga, as announced by Minister for Transport Amos Kimunya on June 20, 2012.
Wachira had prior experience with air accident investigations, having served on a commission appointed by President Moi in 1996 to investigate another police helicopter crash in Marsabit.
The Marsabit crash killed Eastern Provincial Commissioner Ishmael Chelang’a and six senior government officers, among others.
Two pilots
During the Saitoti crash probe, Wachira excused himself due to his relationship with the pilots but submitted two reports based on his assessment and expertise.
Wachira visited the crash site twice, noting similarities to the Marsabit crash, including a fire that destroyed the aircraft and a blade embedded in the ground.
In an October 8, 2012, statement to the commission, Wachira recommended referencing the Marsabit crash report, which had concluded pilot error due to fatigue and inexperience in bad weather.
Wachira detailed his observations at the Saitoti crash site, noting that jettison locks were engaged, indicating no attempt to escape, which could mean unconsciousness or lack of time for evacuation.
Public inquiry testimonies revealed the pilots might have been incapacitated three minutes before the crash, with government pathologists noting carbon monoxide poisoning in Saitoti’s body.
Dr. Njeru reported cherry-pink discoloration consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning, suggesting symptoms like unconsciousness, confusion, and dizziness.
Dr. Kalsi mentioned unanalyzed soot in the victims’ windpipes and overlooked cherry pink marks.
Wachira observed that the tail rotor’s position indicated a sideways impact, and no heat discoloration suggested the engine still had power at the time of the crash.
Wachira believed the crash had other causes, as the investigation was compromised by scene contamination.
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He cited personal air incidents, including engine failures and successful autorotations, as examples of maintaining control in emergencies.
Controversy surrounded the public inquiry, with revelations of NSIS instructing secrecy regarding forensic findings.
Dr. Kalsi testified that NSIS directed that post-mortem photographs and notes remain confidential, fueling foul play suspicions since Saitoti had expressed safety concerns before the crash.
Reports suggested Saitoti had switched hotel rooms days before his death due to safety fears.
The commission’s final report in October 2012 cited pilot error, bad weather, and helicopter battery conditions as potential crash causes.
The report noted the pilots’ inexperience with bad weather and the helicopter’s poorly maintained battery as contributing factors.
When asked about the final report, Wachira said, “I have never seen that official report.”
A Routine Flight Turned Tragic: Fresh Revelations on Saitoti Chopper Crash on June 10, 2012
