The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) yesterday released reports on the Accident involving Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Bell 427 helicopter with registration 5N-POL at Kabong, Jos South LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria on the 14th of March, 2012.
The Bureau also released the report on the Serious Incident to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Tampico TB9 aircraft with registration 5N-CBC which occurred at Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna, Nigeria on the 6th of October, 2008; and
A Bulletin on the Ground Collision incident involving two aircraft belonging to Air Peace Airlines Limited: Boeing 737-500 with registration 5N-BQR and Boeing 737-300 with registration 5N-BQP, which occurred close to Bay 4 of the Domestic Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria on the 20th of April, 2017 was also released at their headquarter at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) on Wednesday.
Analysing the probable causal factors of the accident involving the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Bell 427 helicopter with registration number 5N-POL, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of AIB, Akin Olateru said the cause of the accident cannot be conclusively decided but that the investigation discovered series of discrepancies and non-compliance with Nig.CARs.
On the Pilot, Engr. Olateru who addressed journalists in their MMIA, Ikeja headquarters stated that “the pilot’s medical had expired as at the time of accident; simulator recurrency had expired as at the time of accident. The co-pilot was not type rated on the helicopter (Bell 427)”.
Giving reports on the engineer, AIB stated that “the engineer that released the aircraft prior to the flight had no type training and type rating on the aircraft type”
Olateru added that three Safety Recommendations were made including that “NPF Air-Wing should provide the proper funding, conducive working environment, develop and implement a robust training programme for its technical/operational personnel, with adequate supervision and approved equipment to enhance safety”.
Other safety recommendations, according to the commissioner are that “NCAA should ensure that NPF Air-Wing complies with its AMO requirements”.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The Bureau also warned that NCAA and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) should launch an independent inquiry into Aviation fuel quality in Nigeria. The resulting report, it said should focus on the vulnerability and risk of each step in the distribution process.
“This should yield firmer regulatory oversight mechanism that ensures international quality of aviation fuels used in Nigeria”, AIB further stated.
According to Engr Olateru, both the Police and NCAA have accepted their Safety Recommendations through their responses
On the report on the Serious Incident to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Tampico TB9 aircraft with registration 5N-CBC which occurred at Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna, Nigeria on the 6th of October, 2008, AIB stated that the casual factors are “the inability of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft after touchdown” while the contributory factors are “the student pilot lost concentration while retracting the flap and trimming the aircraft during the landing roll preparatory to the next take-off; the student was fatigued as he had done six landings with the instructor and four solo landings and the increased workload due to the “un-gated” flap control knob assembly”.
Three Safety Recommendations were also made by AIB, advising that “BEA (Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile) should propose to the Aircraft Manufacturer – SOCATA of France to incorporate a “gate detent” position in the flap control knob assembly. This will make proper flap selections easier during aircraft operations.
Other Safety Recommendation on the incident are that NCAT should ensure that Flying Instructors checking out students on solo flight must at all times be at the Control Tower to monitor the progress of the flight.
It also advised that NCAT should procure equipment and train relevant personnel to conduct toxicological examination in its Aero Medical facility.
Meanwhile, the Bureau used the opportunity to launch the AIB Bulletin on the Ground Collision incident involving two aircraft belonging to Air Peace Airlines Limited: Boeing 737-500 with registration 5N-BQR and Boeing 737-300 with registration 5N-BQP, which occurred close to Bay 4 of the Domestic Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria on the 20th of April, 2017.
