What happened
On 1 November 1997, a Piper PA 31-350, registered 5H-AZM, departed Nairobi Wilson airport for a visual flight rules (VFR) mission to Zanzibar International Airport. The aircraft was operated for cargo transport and carried a single pilot, with no passengers on board. At the time of departure, the flight plan indicated the aircraft possessed 3 hours and 30 minutes of fuel.
After departing Nairobi, the aircraft moved through the southern axis lane of the Nairobi control zone. Following instructions from the Nairobi Wilson Tower, the pilot was directed to establish contact with the Nairobi Control Centre. However, no communication was ever established between the controller and the aircraft. At 10:20 hours, the pilot contacted the Kilimanjator Control Tower, providing estimated flight details and an expected arrival time in Zanzibar of 11:40 hours. During this exchange, the pilot was instructed to contact Dar-es-salaam Control upon entering range and was cleared to climb from 9,500 feet to 11,500 feet.
Following this final transmission, the aircraft failed to reach its destination and ceased all radio contact. Search operations involving ground and aerial assets were initiated on 3 November 1997 across the suspected flight path in Kenya and Tanzania. After the search was concluded in December 1997, the event was officially classified as an accident. The wreckage was not recovered until 28 August 2003, when it was located at an altitude of 15,400 feet on the Kibo wing of Mount Kilimanjaro, approximately 30 nautical miles west of the intended flight path.
Findings
Investigations into the disappearance noted that the aircraft was found significantly off its projected course. The wreckage was situated in the Kibo Crater, far from the direct route planned between Nairobi and Zanzibar.