Investigations Reveal Cause of Samburu Chopper Crash That Killed 7

A preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID) reveals that a helicopter crash at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County was triggered by the aircraft striking an outcropping rock near the summit.

The tragedy occurred around 9:13 a.m. on August 19, 2026, as the pilot manoeuvred close to the terrain to afford passengers opportunities for photography and sightseeing. According to investigators, the Airbus EC130 B4 was skimming the cliff edge at low altitude before gaining height above the ridge. As the pilot initiated a 180-degree left turn to head back down the steep incline, a landing skid clipped a protruding rock surface.

The impact tore the landing assembly free from the aircraft. Destabilised, the helicopter tumbled down the sheer slope and plunged over a cliff precipice, landing roughly 1,196 feet below. The subsequent post-crash fire severely burned the wreckage, leaving no survivors among the seven individuals on board.

The flight had been chartered through Lady Lori (Kenya) Ltd for a trip to the mountain’s summit, where the guests planned to have breakfast. Pilot Josh Outram died in the crash alongside six passengers: former Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi Contugi, his wife Stephany Holihan, Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez, Miami businessman Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Hlavaty, and Henry Parra. Flight-tracking data proved crucial to reconstructing the route, as the helicopter was not outfitted with a flight recorder and secondary recording systems were destroyed by the flames.

AAID noted that weather conditions were favourable with clear skies and mild winds, and maintenance logs reflected no active technical defects prior to takeoff. Officials emphasised that these initial findings serve to clarify the sequence of events and prevent similar aviation incidents, rather than establish legal liability or direct blame