A trainee pilot flying a light aircraft was on Thursday night forced to make an emergency landing at the Kisumu International Airport after the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned just minutes after takeoff.
In a statement on Twitter, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) confirmed the incident while noting that the trainee pilot and his instructor, who was also on board during the 10 PM incident, escaped unscathed.
The pair were rushed to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu for medical assessment.
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“We would like to confirm that a light aircraft has had an emergency landing at Kisumu Intl. Airport after suffering landing gear failure,” said KAA.
“Both occupants are safe and have been rushed to hospital for precautionary medical assessment.”
Eyewitness reports say that the plane hovered above the airstrip for hours before finally landing with a small thud.
Aviation officials privy to the matter say that the pilot opted to stay in one position in order to exhaust the plane’s fuel so as to ensure that there would be no explosion when the plane hit the deck.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has since commenced investigations into the incident.
