By Sade Williams
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has asked the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as part of its immediate safety recommendations, to ensure strict compliance to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 part 7.8.2.2(q) which requires that all helicopters with a maximum takeoff mass over 3175 kg and up to 7000 kg to be fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR).
Announcing the release of six final accidents reports and one preliminary report on Tuesday in Abuja, Director General of the Bureau, Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr, said in the preliminary report that the Sikorsky SK76c helicopter with registration 5N-BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation which crashed into the Atlantic ocean on October 24, 2024, was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), as required by regulations.
He however said the flight crew were certified to conduct the flight.
He said so far, five bodies had been recovered while three others are yet to be found.
“The flight crew were certified to conduct the flight. At the initial stage of the flight, the Captain was the Pilot Flying while the First Officer was the Pilot Monitoring. The helicopter had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.
“A Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan was filed..Five bodies identified as the passengers were recovered, while the remaining three occupants of the helicopter, including the flight crew, are yet to be found..The helicopter was fitted with a solid-state cockpit voice recorder.
“The helicopter was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), although Part 7.8.2.2(q) of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 requires that FDR shall be fitted on the helicopter.
“The flight crew used non-standard phraseology throughout the flight. There were no standard callouts for the various phases of the flight..The helicopter Radio Altimeter (Rad alt) was snagged and deferred on October 18, 2024, six days before the accident. No dew point data was reported in the weather information passed to 5N-BQG on the day of the occurrence.”, he said.
The helicopter, on October 24, 2024, with eight individuals – six passengers and two crew members, went down into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar, during a routine flight at approximately 11:22 AM local time.
The aircraft was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the Anton Offshore Facility when it lost contact with air traffic controllers.
Speaking further, Badeh said the occurrence was not survivable as the helicopter disintegrated upon impact with the water surface and its various parts scattered.
“The helicopter sank to a depth of about 42 meters. In total, five bodies of the passengers were recovered, while three bodies, including the flight crew and one passenger, are yet to be found.”, he added.
Meanwhile, six other final accidents reports were also released by the Bureau.
Some of the reports include final report on the Serious Incident involving Beech Baron 58 aircraft operated by Nigerian College of
Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria with nationality and registration marks 5N-CAG which occurred on runway 05 at General Hassan Usman Katsina international
Airport, Kaduna Nigeria on 31 December, 2022.
Final Reporton the accident involving a Bell 429 Helicopter operated by Nigeria Police Air Wing with occurred at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport Bauchi, Nigeria on 26 January 2022.
Final Report on the Serious incident involving Embraer 145LR aircraft operated by United Nigeria airlines, climbing out of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, with nationality and registration marks 5N-BWW, which occurred at about 4000 feet United, Abuja Nigeria on 17 November 2021, among others.
