A student pilot and a flight instructor have died after a small aircraft crashed during a training flight in southern Kenya.
The accident occurred on Friday morning in the Kipeto area of Kajiado County, southwest of Nairobi, close to a wind power installation. Police confirmed that two people were aboard the aircraft when it went down.
Kajiado West Sub-County Police Commander Maureen Kuto said preliminary information suggested that poor visibility caused by heavy morning mist may have played a role in the accident.
The aircraft was being operated by the Kenya School of Flying and was reportedly on a routine training exercise when the incident occurred. According to local reports, the plane came down several kilometres from the school near the Kipeto wind turbines.
Police said the student pilot died at the crash site. The flight instructor was seriously injured and later died while being transported to hospital.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are now being investigated by aviation and security authorities.
Initial accounts indicate that visibility had deteriorated because of thick mist in the area. Witnesses who spoke to The Associated Press also reported heavy morning mist around the time of the accident.
Authorities said the aircraft’s occupants apparently attempted to make an emergency landing after encountering the difficult conditions. However, the aircraft crashed in the hilly terrain before the attempt could succeed.
Images and video from the scene showed the aircraft badly damaged, with sections of its wreckage scattered across a dry field. Police cordoned off the area as emergency personnel and investigators examined the site.
The crash also caused concern because of its proximity to a school. Local residents said several schools operate around the area and that the aircraft came down close to where children were present.
Duncan Akaranga, a resident whose child attends a nearby school, said the community was shaken by the incident. He expressed concern that the accident occurred close to students and could potentially have resulted in more casualties.
Dozens of schoolchildren in uniform were reportedly seen near the crash site after the accident as authorities worked to secure the area.
The identities of the two people killed had not immediately been released as officials worked to notify their relatives.
The Kenya School of Flying was also expected to provide further information after the families of those involved had been informed.
The student was reportedly undergoing advanced flight training, according to local media reports. The presence of an experienced instructor on the training flight reflects the standard practice of having supervised instruction during pilot training.
Despite the preliminary indication that poor visibility may have contributed to the accident, authorities have not announced a final determination on what caused the aircraft to crash.
Investigators will be expected to examine the aircraft, flight records, weather conditions and other available evidence as part of the process of determining exactly what happened.
The accident has renewed attention on the challenges pilots can face when operating in areas affected by changing weather and limited visibility.
Kipeto, located in the highland terrain of Kajiado County, is home to a major wind-energy project and has surrounding hills and open fields. The aircraft crashed near the wind turbines, according to police and local reports.
Emergency teams and security officers were dispatched to the location following reports of the crash, while the bodies were taken for preservation.
For the local community, the incident has left residents mourning the two victims while awaiting answers about the circumstances that brought down the training aircraft.
As investigations continue, aviation authorities are expected to establish whether weather conditions alone were responsible or whether other factors contributed to the fatal accident.
The crash is another reminder of the risks associated with aviation training, where students and instructors regularly undertake practical flights as part of the process of developing professional flying skills.
Officials have yet to release a final investigation report, meaning the preliminary accounts about visibility and the attempted emergency landing should not be treated as a definitive explanation for the accident.
