What happened
On 20th March 2021, a Cessna 208B, registered as 5Y-JKN, crashed while attempting to approach the Marsabit airstrip. The aircraft was operating a chartered flight intended to transport Marsabit County officials to a peacekeeping mission in Illeret, located approximately 156 nautical miles northwest of Marsabit town. The flight originated from Wilson Airport, departing at 08:20 local time.
As the aircraft reached the vicinity of Marsabit town around 10:00 local time, it struck the terrain of Kofia Mbaya Hill. The initial contact involved the nose-wheel and the main landing gear, which caused the fuselage to break apart and scatter debris, including contents from the baggage compartment, across the site. Following the first impact, the aircraft briefly ballooned upward, narrowly missing a residential structure, before flipping over and striking the ground. The wreckage came to rest in an orientation opposite to its initial impact direction, leaving a trail of debris along the flight path. The nose-wheel assembly detached during the sequence and was recovered 110 meters from the primary impact site.
Findings
There was no post-crash fire reported at the scene. However, the impact resulted in two fatalities among the crew members on board. The investigation indicates that the collision with terrain during the approach phase was the primary event leading to the destruction of the aircraft.