The Air Accident Investigation department is a Kenya Government Department working under the Ministry of Transport. The Department is charged with the investigation of all aircraft accidents and incidents which occur within the Kenyan borders on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The Air Accident Investigation Department is also charged with the responsibility of carrying out investigations in conjunction with other aircraft accident investigation authorities worldwide as accredited representatives where such accidents occur to Kenya registered aircraft outside of the Kenyan borders.

The sole objective of the investigations carried out by the department is prevention of accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of its activities to apportion blame or liability.

Until year 2002, Air Accident Investigations were performed on behalf of the Minister for Transport, by the Directorate of Civil Aviation, which was a Department of the Ministry of Transport. When the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority was formed, the Air Accident Investigation function reverted to a new Department of Air Accident Investigation at the Ministry of Transport. In order to make the investigating body professionally competitive in Aviation industry, the Air Accident Investigation Agency was formed. The Agency performs its function in accordance with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Convention standards contained in Annex 13 to the Convention. Locally legal provisions domesticating the ICAO standards are contained in the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations, CAP 394 of the Laws of Kenya.

In order to prevent future accidents, in accordance with the Agency’s mandate, accident reports are normally accompanied by safety recommendations to aviation players involved in the specific areas identified for recommendations.