Dash 8 Runway Excursion at Wilson Airport Ends in Gear Collapse

A De Havilland Dash 8-100 suffered a runway excursion and landing-gear collapse at Nairobi's Wilson Airport on July 14, 2026. The aircraft, registration 5Y-BXI, was operated by ALS Limited on behalf of Safarilink Aviation on a commercial flight from Kisumu International Airport to Nairobi. All 39 occupants — 34 passengers and five crew members — were evacuated safely without serious injury.

According to a preliminary report from Kenya's Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID), the aircraft veered off runway 32 during landing, causing the gear to collapse and the fuselage to come to rest on the ground. The Kenya Airports Authority confirmed that recovery efforts were initiated and airport operations remained largely unaffected. Investigators are examining aircraft performance data, landing parameters and runway conditions; the AAID is also considering whether a hard landing contributed to the loss of directional control.

Safety Scrutiny and Infrastructure Concerns

The incident has triggered immediate political scrutiny of Wilson Airport's aging infrastructure. Sen. Godfrey Osotsi, who was aboard the flight, has called for a Senate probe into safety standards at the facility, citing concerns over deteriorating conditions. The excursion follows a pattern of recent events at the airport, including a cargo aircraft runway excursion in May 2026 and a fatal mid-air collision involving a De Havilland Dash 8-100 in March 2024. Full details on Nairobi Wilson Airport (HKNW) are available in AviatorDB's airport profile.