The Kenya Air Force plane KAF 718 was in the air for 27 minutes before it fell from the sky on Saturday, June 14, Kenyans.co.ke can now reveal. Furthermore, our research shows the plane was seen in Rwanda that morning, before the fatal accident.
According to flight data from FlightAware, the plane identified as a Grob 120A aircraft was first observed at 11:39am near Mombasa and was recorded at a speed of 200 mph (about 321.9 kilometres per hour) and an altitude of 2,314 ft one minute later at 11:40am.
The flight logs reviewed by Kenyans.co.ke indicate the plane that claimed two air force pilots was over the Likoni–Shika Adabu area, just southwest of the Mombasa mainland, near the Likoni-Kwale coastal corridor, approximately 8-10 km inland at 11:40am.
This suggests the aircraft had already climbed from takeoff and was levelling at low altitude over the southern Mombasa coastal belt.
At 11:41:58am, the plane was spotted approaching the Shimba Hills National Reserve airspace area, Kwale County. Roughly west of Diani Beach and southwest of the Tiwi area.
At this point, the plane’s altitude had dropped to 2000ft while its speed remained relatively the same. It may have been preparing for training manoeuvres or experiencing early signs of the reported "emergency."
Approximately 15 minutes later, at 12:06pm, the plane was last observed flying at an altitude of 12,100 feet and a speed of 162 mph. At this point, the plane was flying over the Kinango area, very close to Ndavaya, Kwale (the crash site mentioned in news reports). Roughly 40 km inland from Diani.
This is unusual. The altitude sharply increased shortly before impact, indicating either a last-moment emergency climb attempt or faulty data capture during the final Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), where aircraft automatically broadcast their identity, position (latitude, longitude, altitude), speed, heading, and other data.
Flight data reviewed by this publication shows that this month, the aircraft conducted a series of short-haul operations, primarily concentrated along the coastal and central regions.
On the fatal day, KAF 718 flew from Kigali International Airport in Rwanda at 08:29am and was spotted in Mombasa around 10:38am.
According to FlightAware, the plane was seen near Rwanda on June 13 at around 3am, and later that day it was observed near Nanyuki, with its first sighting at 07:22am and last sighting at 07:54am, remaining airborne for 32 minutes.
This followed a pattern of operations near Nanyuki, a major military hub that hosts the Laikipia Air Base, suggesting possible training, logistical, or patrol missions.
A week earlier, on June 5, the aircraft was detected again near Nanyuki, operating between 9:27am and 10:14am, totalling 46 minutes in the air.
The aircraft was active near Eastleigh and Nanyuki throughout May. On 15 May, it operated multiple missions, including flights between Nanyuki and Laikipia Air Base.
The aircraft's operational pattern extended back into April as well, with records showing regular flights near Nanyuki and occasional sorties near Kigali. Between late March and April, at least four separate flights were detected near Nanyuki, each lasting between two and fifteen minutes, indicating repeated short-range exercises or repositioning flights.
The Kenya Defence Forces have yet to release a detailed statement on the full nature of the aircraft’s operations or the circumstances leading up to the Diani incident. However, sources familiar with the investigation suggest that routine training was part of the aircraft's busy schedule.
KDF, in a statement on Sunday, said it had dispatched investigators to the crash scene to probe what led to the crash. The investigations will include a review of the black box, which records the communications of the plane and ground control.
