What happened
On 4 January 2015, a cargo flight operated by Skyward Express Ltd, involving a Fokker 27-50 with registration 5Y-SIB, was involved in a landing accident at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The flight originally departed from Wajir (HKWJ) with the intention of landing at Nairobi-Wilson Airport (HKNW). Shortly after departing Wajir at approximately 05:40, the aircraft encountered a flock of birds at 200 feet, resulting in a bird strike. Although the crew felt an impact, an inspection of the instruments indicated that all systems were functioning correctly, and the flight continued toward its destination.
Upon entering the traffic pattern at Wilson Airport, the crew began checking the undercarriage. During this process, they identified an unsafe indication regarding the left main landing gear. After approximately one hour of circling and attempting to troubleshoot the issue, the crew confirmed that the left main gear remained locked in the air position. Following consultations with air traffic services and company ground personnel, the crew declared an emergency and decided to divert to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After further deliberation and coordination with their company, the crew executed a gear-up landing on runway 06 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 08:02 local time. There were zero fatalities and zero injuries among the ten people on board, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The wreckage blocked both runways at the airport for over four hours during removal efforts.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a bird strike during the initial climb from Wajir.
- The left main landing gear failed to extend and remained in the up position.
- The crew attempted to resolve the mechanical anomaly while in the traffic pattern before deciding to divert.