Pilot Action That Saved Light Aircraft With 2 From Exploding At Kisumu Airport
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Corporate Communications Officer Angela Tililei revealed that the incident happened at around 10 pm.
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A trainee pilot flying a light aircraft on Thursday, June 8 made a vital manoeuvre that arguably saved him and his instructor from becoming casualties when the aircraft made an emergency landing at the Kisumu International Airport.
Witnesses reported that the aircraft landed at the airport with a thud despite the two occupants escaping safely from the scene. The plane went around in circles around the airport for hours as locals questioned what could be wrong with it.
When the wheels got stuck airborne, the pilot made rounds, flying low so that the plane could completely exhaust its fuel and not explode on impact when it hit the ground.
A building at Kisumu International Airport. /KENYA AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
During the few hours the aircraft was hovering around the airport, rescue teams had already positioned themselves at the airport ready for any eventualities, in fear that the aircraft would burst into flames upon landing.
Luckily, when landing, the fuel was exhausted, thus preventing a catastrophe. Photos seen by Viral Tea showed the aircraft intact, though leaning on its left-hand side after the emergency landing with its tail partially damaged.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Corporate Communications Officer Angela Tililei revealed that the incident happened at around 10 pm.
"A flying school aircraft which had an instructor and student landed on its belly. The two are ok and have been taken to Aga Khan Hospital Kisumu for further check-ups," Tililei told the Nation.
She stated that other investigations would be conducted by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) into the incident.
KAA released a statement in the late night hours of Thursday, June 8 after residents raised concerns over the aircraft which appeared to struggle minutes before landing.
"There is a plane that has been going around Kisumu for the last two hours, I think there is a problem. I hope those on board survive this ordeal. What’s really going on?" an eyewitness posed.
"We would like to confirm that a light aircraft has had an emergency landing at Kisumu International Airport after suffering landing gear failure. Both occupants are safe and have been rushed to hospital for precautionary medical assessment," read KAA's statement in part.
Viral Tea contacted a highly-placed source at KAA and confirmed that the accident had occurred and was not a drill, as was the case on Wednesday, May 31 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
KAA reported at the time that emergency rescue operations were underway following the incident involving an aircraft at JKIA which was overflying Nairobi, later determined to be an emergency drill conducted that morning which involved the simulation of a plane crash at the airport.
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