Nairobi – Samburu

On July 19, 2003 at 06:00 PM, Nairobi – Samburu experienced a crash involving Swearingen SA226 Metro II, operated by Ryan Blake Air Charter, with the event recorded near Mt Kenya Central.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

14 people were known to be on board, 14 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 12, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The twin engine aircraft departed Nairobi-Wilson Airport at 1558LT on a charter flight to Samburu, carrying 12 passengers (all US citizens) and two pilots. En route, the crew decided to make a tour over the Mt Kenya before continuing to Samburu. While cruising at an altitude of 16,500 feet in clouds, the aircraft struck the eastern slope of Mt Point Lenana (third highest peak of Mt Kenya). The wreckage was found 450 feet below the summit and all 14 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration ZS-OYI, MSN TC-349, year of manufacture 1980.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -1.0468°, 37.0859°.