Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) on Thursday released the final reports of four accidents, serious incidents and one safety bulletin to the public.
The reports were read by AIB-N Commissioner/ CEO, Engineer Akin Olateru at the Abuja Corporate headquarters of the investigation agency.
The four reports were classified as: two accidents and two serious incidents while a safety bulletin was also released.
The report which covered the period between 2018 and 2020 were those of accidents which involved:,
1. Quorum Aviation Limited Bell 206B3 Helicopter with registration 5N-BQW which occurred at Opebi, Lagos State on 28th August 2020.
2. The accident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Air Tractor AT-401B Aircraft with registration 5N-BTV which occurred at Rukubi Village 90 NM South-East of Abuja on the 4th October 2018.
3. The serious incident involving Nigeria Police Airwing Bell 429 Helicopter with registration 5N-MDA which occurred at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on the 3rd August,2019.
4. The serious incident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Cessna 172 Aircraft with registration 5N-APE at Bini Village, Niger State on November 19 ,2019.
5. Bulletin-Report on the ground collision involving a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Truck with registration AKD765FK and Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Bell 412 Helicopter with registration NAF 600 which occurred at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on 15th June 15 ,2020.
The reports however, indicated that human factors played prominent roles in the causes of the accidents and the serious incidents.
Speaking on the reports, Olateru said: “The reports we are releasing today cover the period between 2018 and 2020. While two are classified as accidents, two are serious incidents and one safety bulletin. It is, however, important to note that investigation of aircraft accidents or incidents entail the same procedure and processes, all geared towards the same destination – air safety.”
He however, regretted that one of the accident reports had three fatalities.
With these reports, AIB-N had released a total of 72 accident reports since its establishment in 2007 and a total of 53 reports released since the inception of this administration.
Olature also added that the five reports contained a total of twelve safety recommendations, which are addressed to the regulatory body, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the affected airlines, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) among others.
The Bureau has since its inception released 232 Safety Recommendations with 151 of the recommendations released b
The accident involving Quorum Aviation Limited Bell 206B3 Helicopter with registration 5N-BQW which occurred at Opebi, Lagos State on 28th August 2020.
The accident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Air Tractor AT-401B Aircraft with registration 5N-BTV which occurred at Rukubi Village 90 NM South-East of Abuja on the 4th October 2018.
The serious incident involving Nigeria Police Airwing Bell 429 Helicopter with registration 5N-MDA which occurred at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on the August 3, 2019.
The serious incident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Cessna 172 Aircraft with registration 5N-APE at Bini Village, Niger State on 19th November,2019.
Bulletin-Report on the ground collision involving a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Truck with registration AKD765FK and Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Bell 412 Helicopter with registration NAF 600 which occurred at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on 15th June,2020.
On the he accident involving Quorum Aviation Limited Bell 206B3 Helicopter with registration 5N-BQW)
Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) reported that fuel exhaustion at low altitude and low speed leading to loss of control in flight was the main cause of accident while it also reported the contributory factors to the accident as: The decision to continue the flight towards the intended destination with insufficient fuel instead of landing as soon as practicable in line with section 12.12 of Quorum Aviation Limited Operations Manual Part A.
Also lack of effective management supervision of the airline’s flight operations was noted.
Inadequate safety oversight of Quorum Aviation Limited
AIB-N therefore issued three safety recommendations on the accident.
1 Safety recommendation 2021-023
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority should ensure that Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who wish to combine flight duties with multiple post holder positions provide NCAA with comprehensive safety risk mitigation measures to ensure that safe operations can be achieved.
2 Safety recommendation 2021-024
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority should focus its safety oversight to ensure that the Quorum Aviation Limited takes steps to prevent further violation of its approved operating procedures and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
3 Safety recommendation 2021-025
Quorum Aviation Limited should ensure that all its personnel are well acquainted with their respective schedules of responsibilities and capable of discharging their duties effectively in accordance with the company’s Approved Standard Operating Procedures.
On the accident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Air Tractor AT-401B Aircraft with registration 5N-BTV)
Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) reported that the causal factor was as a result of an undetermined engine failure at low altitude that necessitated the execution of emergency forced-landing on a farmland.
No safety recommendation was made by the investigation agency
The third report which was on the serious incident involving Nigeria Police Airwing Bell 429 Helicopter with registration 5N-MDA) that occurred on August 3 2019, AIB-N reported the causal factor as lack of communication to update the crew on the current serviceability status of the ground handling wheel prior to arrival at DNAA.
It gave the contributory factor as:
The decision to hover-taxi to reposition the helicopter to the ramp without guidance.
AIB-N thereforer issued two safety recommendations to prevent future occurrence.
1 Safety recommendation 2021-022
Nigeria Police Airwing should develop a proper communication procedure for departing and arriving aircraft for information dissemination where necessary.
2 Safety recommendation 2021-023
Nigeria Police Airwing should adhere to all relevant provisions of Nig. CARs.
On the serious incident involving Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited Cessna 172 Aircraft with registration 5N-APE)
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) reported that the Causal factor was the shifting of engine oil seal at the top of the push rod which created a clearance through which the oil escaped from the engine; resulting to low oil quantity and high oil temperature indications and subsequently a drop in engine rpm.
Two safety recommendations were issued in this report
1 Safety recommendation 2021-020
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority should ensure that holders of Aerial Work Certificate carry out their activities in accordance with Nig. CARs Part 11 (Aerial Work), including strict compliance with the terms and conditions specified in the Aerial Work Certificate Operations Specifications.
2 Safety recommendation 2021-021
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority should consider having a separate Operations Specifications for scientific evaluation of aerial work such as Radiometric and Geochemistry Aerial Survey which are not mapping and photography as specified in the current Operations Specifications.
The fifth issue made public by AIB-N was the bulletin-Report on the ground collision involving a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Truck with registration AKD765FK and Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Bell 412 Helicopter with registration NAF 600)
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB-N) Nigeria, reported that the Causal factor was the driver’s poor judgment of the clearance between the truck and the helicopter main rotor blades.
It gave the contributory factors to include that the truck driver was not professionally, technically qualified to operate the truck at the airside. It also adduced lack of training and proper sensitization of CBN personnel (drivers, security, operations) accessing the airside as another contributory factor
Even as it advanced thst the inadequate oversight on CBN personnel (drivers, security, operations) accessing the airside by FAAN and NCAA contributed to the serious airside incident.
AIB-N therefore issued five safety recommendations to be enforced immediately to stop future occurrences
The five safety recommendation are:
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should ensure that all its personnel assigned to drive vehicles or access all Nigerian Airports are adequately and properly profiled and provided with Airside driving and compliance training.
CBN should ensure that all its operated vehicles, equipment and personnel assigned to operate within or drive vehicles or access all Nigerian Airports are provided with appropriate Apron permit and access cards for identification and proper operational control at the airside of all Nigerian airports.
FAAN should ensure that all CBN personnel assigned to drive vehicles at all Nigerian Airports are provided with Airside driving and compliance training.
FAAN should ensure that agencies and organizations operating at the airside adhere strictly to all provisions of the Airside Vehicle Control Manual
NCAA should intensify its oversight on FAAN as regards the operation of vehicles on the Airside.
