Operations at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport were temporarily disrupted on Friday, May 22, after a Dornier 228-202 aircraft crash-landed while attempting to land at the busy domestic airport, prompting an emergency response and a brief closure of the facility.
Witnesses said the aircraft veered off during landing and narrowly missed the airport fence along Langata Road. The cause of the incident remains unclear, with aviation authorities yet to provide an official explanation.
Preliminary reports indicate that no fatalities or serious injuries were recorded, although the exact number of passengers and crew on board had not been confirmed by the time of publication. The Dornier 228-202 model is capable of carrying up to 19 passengers.
Public flight records show that the aircraft, registration number 5Y-CES, is commonly leased and operated by the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to support humanitarian and relief operations across East Africa.
Emergency responders were quickly deployed to the scene to secure the area and assist passengers following the crash landing.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the incident as aviation officials seek to establish the circumstances that led to the accident. However, by Friday evening, the Kenya Airports Authority had not released an official statement on the matter.
The incident comes barely two months after another aircraft accident at the same airport sparked concerns over safety standards and emergency preparedness at Wilson Airport.
In the March 20 incident, a plane carrying 39 passengers, among them Godfrey Osotsi, crash-landed at the airport alongside five crew members on board.
Following investigations into that accident, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) admitted that lapses in emergency preparedness contributed to the incident.
KCAA Director General Emile Arao said shortcomings in emergency response systems played a role in the crash landing, stressing that such services are mandatory under aviation safety regulations and should always be readily available.
Despite the concerns, Arao maintained that Wilson Airport remains safe for operations, insisting that all key safety measures, including air traffic control communication and landing procedures, continue to function effectively.