Incident Overview

Description
The aircraft did not gain enough height after takeoff from Busia’s 3281 feet long runway 13/31. The airplane hit powerlines, the wings were ripped off and the Gulfstream crashed inverted against a house. Kenyan government officials were aboard the plane. Labour Minister Ahmed Khalif was killed in the accident. A public inquiry into the accident revealed that the weight of the plane was too heavy for a safe departure. The airplane in fact needed a runway length of about 3900 feet. It was also discovered that both the captain’s as well as the airplane’s papers had been tampered with. Uncertified parts were fitted onto the aircraft and maintenance personnel for the aircraft were not trained and licensed. The airplane had been damaged in several accidents in Congo and Sudan. Following an accident in Sudan in 2000 the airplane was considered an insurance write-off. The owner, MIA International Ltd, purchased the hull from the insurers, repaired and re-registered it, changing registration marks from 5Y-MIA to 5Y-EMJ.
Primary Cause
Insufficient runway length and improper aircraft configuration.Insufficient runway length and improper aircraft configuration.Share on: