Investigators have established how a helicopter carrying six passengers crashed at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, killing all seven people on board.
The Airbus EC130 B4, operated by helicopter charter company Lady Lori (Kenya) Ltd, crashed on August 19 at about 9:13 am during a flight in the Mount Ololokwe area.
According to a preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID) on September 18, the helicopter was flying close to the mountain’s cliff face before making a maneuver that preceded the crash.
“Upon arrival at Mount Ololokwe, the helicopter conducted a low-level flight along the cliff face, apparently to facilitate sightseeing and photography,” the report stated.
The aircraft then climbed above the ridgeline before making a 180-degree left turn down the steep slope.
During the manoeuvre, one of the helicopter’s landing-gear skids struck a protruding rock formation near the summit.
The impact caused the landing-gear assembly to separate, leaving parts of the skids at the initial point of contact. The aircraft then lost stability and descended the steep mountainside before going over a cliff.
“The impact resulted in the shearing and separation of the landing-gear assembly, with portions of the skids remaining at the initial point of contact,” AAID stated.
The wreckage came to rest about 1,196 feet from the initial point of impact at the base of the cliff and was later extensively damaged by fire.
No Bad Weather or Known Mechanical Problem
AAID said visibility was clear and winds were light at the time of the accident, and the preliminary investigation found that weather conditions did not contribute to the crash.
Investigators also established that the helicopter had a valid certificate of airworthiness, while its maintenance records did not indicate any known mechanical problems.
The aircraft had no flight recorder, and the fire badly damaged other onboard data systems.
Investigators therefore relied on available flight-tracking information to reconstruct the helicopter’s movements before the crash.
AAID cautioned that the findings in the preliminary report should not be regarded as a final determination of blame or liability.
“The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident under these Regulations shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents. It shall not be the purpose of such an investigation to apportion blame or liability,” the report noted.
What Happened in the Samburu Crash Before the AAID Report
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the crash shortly after it occurred on August 19.
In a statement issued that day, KCAA said the aircraft, registration 5Y-GYM, was flying from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when the accident occurred in Samburu at approximately 9:13am.
“Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirms that an aircraft accident involving a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM, has occurred at Lolokwe Mountain in Samburu County on Wednesday, 19 August 2026,” KCAA said.
“The aircraft was conducting a flight from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when the accident occurred at approximately 0913 hrs local time,” KCAA stated.
KCAA said it was coordinating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders following the crash.
The Air Accident Investigation Department, under the Ministry of Roads and Transport, subsequently took charge of investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
All seven occupants died in the crash.
They were pilot Josh Outram and passengers Roger Duarte, Adam Hlavaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michele Sensi-Contugi and Stephany Hollihan Vásconez.
Crash Killed Ecuador’s Spy Chief
Among those who died was Michele Sensi-Contugi, an Italian-Ecuadorian businessman and senior Ecuadorian government official who headed the country’s intelligence agency before his death.
Sensi-Contugi was the Director General of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Centre, an institution previously known as the Centre for Strategic Intelligence (CIES).
He was first appointed to lead the intelligence agency in January 2024 before briefly serving as Ecuador’s Minister of Government later that year. He returned to the intelligence post in August 2024.
Sensi-Contugi Ycaza was born in Italy and built his career in Ecuador, where he worked in business before entering public service.
His rise into government placed him among the senior figures in President Daniel Noboa’s administration and at the centre of Ecuador’s national security establishment.
Before joining government, Sensi-Contugi ran businesses in Guayaquil, including ventures dealing in rubber and plastic products, clothing and scientific research.
Sensi-Contugi was a close associate of President Noboa, and reports say he had financially supported Noboa’s 2023 presidential campaign.
Sensi-Contugi died alongside his wife, Stephany Hollihan Vásconez, in the Mount Ololokwe helicopter crash.
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