Plane makes emergency landing after wheel falls off

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority launches safety probe on airline

Silverstone Air is being investigated (Twitter/Silverstone Air)

A plane had to make an emergency landing in Kenya after one of the aircraft’s wheels fell off during take-off.

The flight, operated by domestic Kenyan airline Silverstone Air, was departing Lodwar in northwest Kenya on Monday 28 October when the incident occurred.

It was due to land in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, but the pilot made the decision to touch down in Eldoret in west Kenya instead.

“We would like to confirm that our flight Dash 8 – 300 from Lodwar to Nairobi experienced an incident during takeoff and as a result, lost the number 3 wheel assembly,” the airline said in a statement.

“The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority. The captain of the flight decided to divert to Eldoret International Airport in the interests of the continued safety of the passengers and the crew.

“This was a precautionary action and the aircraft landed safely.”

All passengers were booked onto alternative flights to Nairobi.

It’s the second time in three weeks the airline has experienced safety issues, after a Silverstone Air jet carrying 55 people skidded off the runway at Nairobi’s Wilson airport during taking off on 11 October, leaving nine passengers injured.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has said it has launched a probe into the airline as a result.

“As per the provision of Civil Aviation Act No. 21 of 2013, amended in 2016, KCAA is mandated to manage, regulate and operate a safe, secure and efficient Civil Aviation system in Kenya,” KCAA director general Gilbert Kibe said in a statement.

“The audit is being performed to determine the level of compliance with the current Civil Aviation regulations and their own company approved manuals and procedures.”

The story follows a flight aborting landing after it came within a minute of touching down without its landing gear in place.

Vietnam Airlines flight VN781, flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne, was on the approach to the airport when air traffic controllers realised the plane’s wheels were still up.