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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Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has welcomed efforts to promote safe helicopter services across Africa in a proposed Regional Action Plan (RAP).
The plan, according to a company statement, is the highlight of a workshop organised in Lagos within the week by the Aviation subcommittee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) in partnership with London-based safety advocacy group, HeliOffshore.
Biztellers reports that the two-day Offshore Helicopter Industry Safety Workshop (OHISW) with the theme “Developing a Regional Action Plan,” followed on from a similar session last year which SNEPCo sponsored.
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It also provided administrative and logistical support for this year’s conference which was sponsored by ExxonMobil. SNEPCo, which pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater production at Bonga in 2005, relies on helicopter shuttles for operations and supports the workshop as part of its contributions towards safe services in Nigeria.
In an address at the opening session delivered by General Manager Contracting and Supply Chain, Charles Oranyeli, Managing Director SNEPCo, Ronald Adams said: “By developing a regional action plan, we can move beyond dialogue to alignment, ensuring that the safety leadership, industry standards, and collaborative approaches championed last year are embedded in a common roadmap for collective improvement. The most effective solutions will come not from isolated efforts, but from partnership, standardization, and coordinated action across the region.”
The workshop was attended by more than 80 representatives from oil and gas companies, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), helicopter operators and original equipment manufacturers.
The event concluded with participants deciding action items for the proposed Regional Action Plan including Search and Rescue (SAR) initiatives, implementation of IOGP Report 690 standards and establishment of formal industry leadership forums.
The IOGP has been active for over 50 years, supporting its more than 90 members around the world to promote “excellence in safe, efficient and sustainable energy.”
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.
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