Gear-up landing at Kisumu Airport involving 43 occupants

No fatalities • Kisumu, Kenya • Landing (descent or approach)

An aircraft performing a final approach to Kisumu Airport landed on its belly after the crew failed to deploy the landing gear due to cockpit distractions.

What happened

During the final approach phase toward Kisumu Airport, an aircraft experienced a landing gear failure that resulted in a belly landing. The aircraft slid several hundred meters along the runway before coming to a complete stop. While all 43 occupants were successfully rescued from the wreckage, the incident resulted in five injuries among the passengers, which were described as minor.

The impact of the landing caused extensive damage to the airframe, rendering the aircraft a total loss.

Findings

Investigations into the accident revealed that the flight crew was preoccupied with non-operational discussions during the approach. This lack of focus led to several critical errors in flight management. Specifically, the crew did not adhere to the established approach checklist and neglected to monitor their flight instruments properly. As a result of these distractions, the landing gear was not extended, and the aircraft approached the runway at an excessive speed.

Probable cause

The crew's failure to follow approach procedures and monitor instruments due to cockpit distractions led to an improper landing configuration and excessive approach speed.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1988-07-10 Fokker F27 Friendship accident near Kisumu, Kenya?

An aircraft performing a final approach to Kisumu Airport landed on its belly after the crew failed to deploy the landing gear due to cockpit distractions.

Were there any fatalities in the 1988-07-10 Fokker F27 Friendship accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1988-07-10 involved a Fokker F27 Friendship, registration 5Y-BBS, operated by Kenya Airways, at Kisumu, Kenya.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The crew's failure to follow approach procedures and monitor instruments due to cockpit distractions led to an improper landing configuration and excessive approach speed.

Loading the flight search…