US and French aviation experts have joined Kenya’s investigation into the helicopter crash at Mt Ololokwe in Samburu County, with investigators now examining the aircraft, its flight, maintenance history and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of seven people.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID) is in charge of the probe, which is being conducted under the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
AAID Director Fred Kabungt said the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had deployed an expert from its Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance after American citizens were among those killed in the accident.
France has also sent an Accredited Representative from its Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), supported by technical advisers.
The involvement of the French team is linked to the fact that both the helicopter and its engine were designed and manufactured in France.
"The NTSB has a special interest in the accident under ICAO Annex 13. The expert is entitled to access relevant factual information approved for public re-lease, updates on the progress of the investigation, and a copy of the final report. They may also assist with matters involving affected US families and victim-related assistance," Mr Kabunge told the Nation.
The crash claimed the lives of Ecuador’s intelligence chief and his wife, among the seven people who died when the helicopter came down at the popular Samburu landmark.
Kabungt said the inquiry was concentrating on human factors and the state of the aircraft as investigators worked to determine what happened before the crash.
"The investigation will cover the examination and documentation of the crash site and wreck-age, the recovery and preserva-tion of evidence, the assessment of aircraft systems and compo-nents, and the review of operational and maintenance records," he said.
He added: "Investigators will also analyse the aircraft's flight path and other available data, coordinate specialist examinations and testing, and establish the causal and contributory factors behind the accident."
The investigation, officials said, is not being carried out to determine who should be blamed for the accident, but to identify the factors involved and help prevent similar incidents.
Investigators have been working at the remote crash site, where the difficult terrain and fire that followed the impact have complicated efforts to recover evidence.
Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi said forensic officers also went to the site on Friday as investigators continued their work.
Kabungt said the wreckage was badly affected by the fire, leaving investigators with limited material to recover.
"Very little wreckage and other evidence could be recovered from the site," he said, adding that all recoverable debris would be collected and kept in the custody of the AAID.
Preliminary findings had earlier indicated that the helicopter struck the ground before being destroyed by the impact and a fire that broke out afterwards, Kabungt told KTN News.
Investigators will also establish whether the aircraft met certification and airworthiness requirements. They will check its manufacturing date and establish the number of passengers it was authorised to carry.
Accounts from people who witnessed the final moments of the flight are also expected to form part of the information available to investigators.
Raphael Lekambayo, a tour guide from Kirish village, said the six tourists had been recording the scenery from the helicopter shortly before the accident.
He said the aircraft had landed at the top of Mt Ololokwe before it began tumbling down.
"Our colleagues, who were at the summit, said the tourists were filming the scenery when the helicopter lost control. At the time, the aircraft was hovering near the edge of the cliff. When they realised that something was wrong, some of the passengers threw their phones, which were still recording videos, out of the aircraft, said Mr Lekambayo.
Post-mortem examinations have been completed, while DNA samples have been collected to help identify four of the bodies.
Three bodies were scheduled for examination on Friday, with the remains already recovered taken to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi.
The AAID is expected to issue an initial report within 30 days, while the final findings are expected within one year.