Aviation
AIB blames pilots, others for four Nigerian plane crashes
LAGOS-THE Accident Investigation Bureau has indicted pilots of four crashed aircraft in the country as well as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and its Area Controllers in some of the locations were the accidents occurred.
The AIB stated this in the final report on the accidents that occurred within the Nigerian airspace, including that of the Beechcraft 1900D, with registration 5N-JAH belonging to Wings Aviation Services Air.
The others are the Cessna Citation 560XLS, with registration 5N-BMM, belonging to Bristow Helicopters; Boeing 737-500, with registration 5N-BLE, belonging to Aero Contractors; and AS 350 B2, with registration 5N-BHU, belonging to OAS Limited.
plane crash
The AIB said the Beech 1900D aircraft was on a revenue positioning flight on March 15, 2008 and crashed at about 0920 hours in a mountainous terrain at Bushi Village, Obalinku Local Government Area of Cross River State. The bureau had on March 29, 2009 issued an interim report on the accident.
The final report stated that the aircraft deviated from the filed flight plan route and flew through the airway direct to Ikrop instead of Potgo-Enugu and Bebi direct, adding that the inputs into the Global Positioning System gave the crew different distances to Bebi. It stated, “The crew agreed on a coordinate to input, and thereafter were busy trying to locate the airstrip physically.
During this process, the Ground Proximity Warning System gave signals and sound of ‘Terrain, terrain… pull up, pull up’ several times without any of the pilots following the command. “The aircraft flew into the terrain and crashed. The flight crew and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed and there was post-crash fire.”
The report noted that the Flight Data Recorder showed that the aircraft crashed at about 9.20am at an altitude of about 3,400ftm, while the plane flew for 103.75 minutes. It said the flight crew did not respond promptly to the GPWS warning, adding that they were not familiar with the route in a situation of low clouds, poor visibility and mountainous terrain.
The report also indicted the Area Controllers in the region of the crash, stressing that they “did not detect the estimates as passed by the pilot for position not in the filed flight plan.” Still on the contributory factors to the crash of the Beech 19000D aircraft, the AIB said “The erroneous co-location of Bebi airstrip and Obudu on the NAMA chart confused the crew.” Three persons were on the flight, the two flight crew members and one passenger, the report added.
On the Bristow Helicopters’ Cessna Citation 5N-BMM incident, the bureau said the flight departed Lagos at 1856hours for Port Harcourt on an Instrument Flight Rules and estimated Port Harcourt at 1940hours. It noted that on the final approach, the crew had visual challenge but continued the approach, crash landed and exited the runway.
The AIB stated, “The aircraft was cleared to maintain flight level 330. The aircraft made the first contact with Port Harcourt at 1914hours. The pilot reported maintaining FL330 with six souls on-board, four hours fuel endurance and estimating Port Harcourt VOR at 1940hours. “At 1921hours, the pilot reported 100 nautical miles to Port Harcourt and requested for descent. The aircraft was cleared or descent through different levels and finally cleared for the straight instrument landing system Approach Runway 21 and to report on the localizer. On final approach the crew were no longer visual but continued the approach, crashed landed and exited the runway.”
The investigation identified the causal factors of the crash to include “the decision of the pilot to continue the approach without the required visual reference.” It noted that other contributory factors were poor crew coordination, pairing two captains together and marginal weather condition. On the Aero Contractors Flight 210, a Boeing 737-500 registered as 5N-BLE, the report stated that the airplane skidded off the runway 28, while landing on approach into the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos, Plateau State. The aircraft departed Lagos on the fateful day with two pilots, three flight attendants and 87 passengers on board.
The AIB said, “The aircraft commenced an approach and touched down with the Right Main Wheel 135 metres from the threshold, skidded off the runway 28 to the left into the grass area, damaged three runway light assembles and uprooted the armoured cables at the airport. All 92 persons on-board sustained little or no injury, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.”
The causal factors were identified as the decision of the crew to continue the approach in an unstable condition, coupled with the captain’s inappropriate attempt to take over control of the aircraft. Other contributory factors include fatigue, which impaired the captain’s performance and reflected the effects of a long, demanding duty day associated with check airmen functions; poor crew resource management; and the prevailing weather condition.
On the OAS Limited aircraft 5N-BHU incident, the report stated that the helicopter was conveying the managing director and staff of a business firm to a meeting in Port Harcourt. After departing Lagos at about 0713hours, the aircraft could not continue the flight to Port Harcourt and was returning to the Osubi airstrip due to bad weather.
The report stated, “At 0904hours, the pilot could not give his position when requested by the Air Traffic Controller and collided with high tension cables belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria located along the road to the Delta Steel Company in Delta State.” It added that three survivors were evacuated from the wreckage, while the fourth person was found fatally injured outside the aircraft. “One of the three survivors later died in the hospital,” the report stated.
The causative factor for the crash was identified as the “pilot’s decision to conduct the flight under a Special Visual Flight Rule in an Instrument Meteorological Condition as depicted by the weather forecast.” Contributory factors included “the pilot’s descent from 500ft without a clear visual reference and the pilot was not instrument rated.”
Speaking on the outcome of the report, the Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, AIB, Dr. Felix Abali, said the bureau would ensure unbiased investigations into aircraft accidents and serious incidents. “At the AIB, we are committed to enhancing aviation safety by conducting thorough and unbiased investigations into aircraft accidents and serious incidents. We are currently working hard to release more accident reports in the shortest possible time,” Abali added.
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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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