History of the Flight
The flight originated from Lanseria Airport, South Africa, on the morning of 19 July 2003. The aircraft was operated by Air 2000 (PTY) Limited and owned by Ryan Blake Air Charter. It was chartered to transport an American family from South Africa to various destinations in Kenya, the first being Buffalo Springs in Samburu National Park. The aircraft made a technical stop at Tete, Mozambique, before landing at Wilson Airport, Nairobi, at approximately 1130 hrs. After refueling and completing immigration and customs formalities, the crew filed an IFR flight plan for the onward journey to Samburu, requesting flight level 150. The aircraft departed Wilson at 1306 hrs. The crew consisted of a pilot and co-pilot, with twelve passengers on board.
After departure, the aircraft was handed over to Nairobi Approach Radar Control. The pilot was cleared to climb to FL120 and later to FL150. At 1324 hrs, Approach Radar instructed the pilot to contact Nanyuki for transit. At approximately 1328 hrs, the pilot requested confirmation of the frequency. No further communication was received. At 1329 hrs, the aircraft impacted the south-east ridge of Lenana Peak, Mount Kenya, at coordinates S 00 09.437 E 037 19.235. The aircraft struck the ridge at cruise speed, exploded, and caught fire. The aircraft was completely destroyed; the empennage tumbled back down the slope while the engines and propellers were flung ahead.
Injuries to Persons
All persons on board were fatally injured. The two pilots and twelve passengers perished. No serious or minor injuries were reported.
Damage to the Aircraft
The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. The largest piece of wreckage was the empennage, which tumbled down the steep ridge. Heavier components, such as the engine and propellers, were found beyond the ridge. The accident site also exhibited environmental pollution from fuel and oil spillage.
Personnel Information
The pilot-in-command was 31 years old and held a South African airline transport pilot license issued on 13 May 2002. He held a valid Class 1 medical certificate and an instrument rating expiring on 5 June 2004. He had completed a proficiency check on the SW4 aircraft type on 2 June 2003 and was endorsed to act as commander. His route checks were positive. The pilot had attended a Crew Resource Management course on 6 June 2003. According to his girlfriend, he had adequate rest before the flight.