Piper PA32 - 301 accident near Vipingo Ridge, Ke, October 23, 2010
On October 23, 2010 at about 6:53 am local time, a Piper PA32 - 301, registered N5YNAM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Vipingo Ridge. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2010 · about 6:53 am local time
- Place
- Vipingo Ridge, Kenya · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 - 301 301 · all PA32 - 301s on the register
- Registration
- N5YNAM · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 23, 2010, about 0653 UTC, 5Y-NAM, a Piper PA-32R-301, a personal flight, had an inflight breakup during cruise flight and crashed in an open field at Vipingo Ridge, Kenya. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire. The domestic flight originated at Moi and the destination was Mombasa. An investigation has been instituted by the Kenya Ministry of Transport (MOT). As the State of Manufacture, a US Accredited Representative has been appointed. Inquiries about the investigation should be directed to the MOT. Kenya Ministry of Transport Air Accident Investigation Department Nairobi, Kenya
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.