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.
PUNCH-
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has declared that airlines operating in Nigeria have come under financial pressure following a sharp increase in the price of Jet-A1, also known as aviation fuel.
According to the group, the price of aviation fuel, has surged to about N1,800 per litre in many parts of the country, from about N1,000 per litre two weeks ago. This amounts to almost an 80 per cent increase within a short period.
Aviation fuel remains the largest cost component in airline operations, accounting for about 30 to 35 per cent of total operating expenses.
Industry stakeholders have linked the latest spike to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up global energy prices.
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Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, the spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, said the surge had placed airlines under severe financial strain.
According to him, most carriers have so far refrained from immediately transferring the additional cost burden to passengers, despite the pressure on their operations.
“Two weeks ago, we were getting Jet-A1 at about N1,000 per litre, which today is about N1,800, and even more in some stations. We have experienced an increase of about 80 per cent. That’s quite a spike,” Okonkwo said.
He explained that airlines were currently absorbing the losses in order to avoid worsening the economic burden on the travellers.
“We are not in a business where you can easily adjust your ticket price. Right now what we are doing is that we are bleeding. We are taking the blow. We are selling tickets at very non-profitable prices. We are losing a lot of money,” he said.
Okonkwo warned that the situation might not be sustainable if fuel prices continue to rise without government intervention.
“Obviously, adjustments will be expected anytime soon. But again, we are very sensitive to the economic situation of Nigerians and our travellers,” he added.
He noted that developments in the global oil market, particularly the recent release of reserve crude oil, could influence fuel prices in the coming weeks.
Okonkwo also urged the Federal Government to explore engagement with the Dangote Refinery as part of efforts to stabilise aviation fuel supply locally.
“We were more hopeless in a situation where there was no refinery in Nigeria in the last two years. Now that we have a refinery, we are hopeful that we can find a solution around it,” he said.
According to him, if the spike persists, some airlines may struggle to continue absorbing the losses associated with the rising cost of aviation fuel.
Meanwhile, the AON spokesperson also reacted to the decision by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to sanction about five airlines over alleged price fixing.
Okonkwo said while the commission has regulatory powers, the aviation sector remains deregulated, making coordinated price fixing unlikely.
“There is no meeting of airlines where they agree to fix prices. Fixing prices would mean operating as a cartel, and that is not the case,” he said.
He explained that airline ticket pricing varies widely because different aircraft types attract different operating costs.
“Each airline determines its fares based on its own operational costs,” he said.
Okonkwo added that airlines must also demonstrate financial viability to regulators as part of the conditions for maintaining their operating licences.
“At every point in time, you must prove to the regulators that you are financially viable and capable of sustaining operations,” he said.
He urged regulators to take into account the fragile nature of the aviation industry when making policy decisions affecting airlines.
An Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt has suffered a disruption, after the aircraft was affected by a bird strike on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The airline made the disclosure on Thursday in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe.
He added that the incident necessitated safety checks on the affected aircraft and the deployment of another aircraft to convey passengers on subsequent flights.
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“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unforeseen incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Efe said.
The latest incident adds to the growing challenge of bird strikes faced by local airlines.
In December 2025, Air Peace disclosed that it recorded 49 bird strikes across Nigeria between January and September, stressing that even a single strike could ground an aircraft for weeks.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Allen Onyema, had said on Arise TV that bird strikes constituted a major operational challenge, often leading to costly repairs and serious disruptions to flight schedules.
“One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there is no two ways about it. These bird strikes often lead to costly delays and serious disruptions in flight schedules,” he said.
He added that losses from such incidents compound other challenges facing Nigerian airlines, including heavy taxation and operational constraints.
With the firm belief that it is both sadistic and absolutely despicable, the recently announced outrageous hike in airfares to South East from Abuja to Lagos for Yuletide of 2025 by over 131 percent by Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines, the owners have been asked to immediately have a rethink and review backward these harsh, toxic and unfriendly airfares targeting Igbo passengers exclusively.
Making the charge to the chairmen of Air Peace and United Nigeria airlines, Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr. Obiora Okonkwo, the prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed anger that these businesses whose proprietors are Igbo by birth are fond of making it so difficult for hundreds of thousands of Igbo passengers residing outside of the South-East to travel home on Christmas festivities.
The rights group say that for many years now, because Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are monopolies and then Igbos have the tradition exclusively in Nigeria of going home to South East from all over the globe during Yuletides, these few airlines have decidedly fixed toxic ticketing airfares for Igbos whereas northerners who also travel during their religious festivities of salah are not subjected to such exploitative treatments.
The HURIWA accused the two airlines of price fixing, which is anti-competition just as the Rights group said it is giving these two Igbo-hating airlines to review backward their toxic and discriminatory airfares within ten working days from today or it will petition the federal government publicly funding consumer rights body[Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission) in Abuja.
The HURIWA wonders if these Igbo owners of private airlines known for making their planes available to government for free during emergencies are in a conspiratorial plots with haters of Igbo land who are unhappy at the convivial and happy atmospheres in the South East during Yuletide, just as the rights group has appealed to Igbo governors to immediately intervene and urge Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr Obiora Okonkwo to treat the Igbo just as they treat for instance northern Muslims who also migrate home to northern Nigeria from around the globe during their Muslim festivities because what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
The HURIWA said that if Air Peace Airlines have gotten involved in many humanitarian efforts of airlifting Nigerians from outside of our shores for free, it becomes of the Airline ought not to maltreat their clients of Igbo extraction.
The HURIWA quoted from the business official website of Air Peace in which it described its latest humanitarian effort to be an addition to a growing list of interventions by Dr. Allen Onyema and Air Peace.
Quoting Air Peace website, HURIWA stated that Air Peace said thus: “In 2019, the airline airlifted 503 Nigerians free of charge from South Africa amidst xenophobic attacks. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Air Peace conducted multiple repatriation flights. In 2022, the airline flew Nigerian evacuees out of war-torn Ukraine. In May 2023, Dr. Onyema again deployed Air Peace aircraft to evacuate 277 stranded Nigerians from Sudan.
As the rescued women prepare to begin a new chapter, supported by medical care and reintegration efforts, one truth stands out: Air Peace is more than just an airline — it is a bridge of hope for Nigerians in crisis, and a national symbol of empathy, courage and service,” HURIWA conclusively quoted Air Peace.
The HURIWA therefore strongly condemns the two airlines for hiking and fixing unaffordable airfares indiscriminately against Igbo passengers, even as the festive season draws near, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines have raised their return ticket fares to N677,000, a move that could add financial strain on travellers. The rise in airfares reflects the high demand expected during the holiday rush.
Key Points
Air Peace and United Nigeria increase return ticket fares to N677,000 for the yuletide season.
Airfares on routes to the South-East, including Enugu and Anambra, experience the highest surge.
Ibom Air offers comparatively cheaper tickets, with return fares at N381,600.
Air Peace’s one-way fare for December to January peaks at N350,500.
United Nigeria will also charge N350,500 for select routes between December 11 and the end of the year.
Northern routes, including Lagos-Kano, face smaller increases, with fares starting from N106,900.
Experts predict even higher airfares, with one-way tickets possibly reaching N500,000.
The rise in flight prices signals the start of a challenging holiday travel season, with airfares higher than usual due to increased demand. Travelers must be prepared for the surge, with some routes seeing even higher fare projections.
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The HURIWA is hereby warning the two airlines to withdraw their price fixing malpractices against Igbos or else the Rights group would seek justice and redress for the millions of Igbos who would return home for the 2025 Yuletide from the Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission and the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria. The HURIWA threatened to drag the two airlines to the Nigerian President through the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Transportation.
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