- Najomo hinges Nigeria’s aviation future on transparent procurement system
- MMA2: A Beacon of Hope for Nigerian Airports
- Airline group raises concern over South Africa’s aviation infrastructure
- Turkish Airlines opens largest Int’l lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport
- Kenya Airways begs NCAA over passenger maltreatment
Agagu: Flight crew ignored cockpit danger warnings

- Releases 147 safety recommendations
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has released six final accident and serious incident reports that occurred in the Nigeria aviation industry between 2009 and 2014.
The most striking of the crashes was one involving Associated Airline aircraft carrying the remains of former Minister of Aviation and former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu which occurred less than one minute after take-off at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on October 3, 2013 near aviation fuel dump.
The report equally identified inadequate regulatory oversight as the airplane did not go through the mandatory maintenance checks.
There was also poor Crew Resource Management (CRM) as Captain of the ill-fated aircraft and his First Officer and entire crew worked at cross purposes before and during take-off of the aircraft.
The aircraft came down at 118 meters after take-off, killing all onboard with the exception of four people who sustained major injuries.
In short, the report stated that take-off should have been aborted when the crew noticed defects with the airplane but decided to continue with the flight.
The report indicated that the Pilot Flying (PF) and the entire crew ignored all signs on their equipment, Emnraer120ER, registration 5N-BJY, a charter flight, scheduled to depart Lagos to Akure on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
According to the report released by Commissioner, AIB, Akin Olateru, an aircraft engineer, “The Captain was the Pilot Flying (PF) and the First Officer was the Pilot Monitoring (PM). The aircraft departed with No. 1 Engine torque indicator stuck at 76 per cent. A crew-derived non-standard procedure was used to set the No. 1 Engine take-off power, as the torque indicator is the primary gauge for setting power”.
“After take-off power was set, a take-off flap configuration aural warning came on indicating that the flap position did not agree with the selection”.
The report equally cited Associated crash causal factor on the decision of the crew to continue the take-off despite the abnormal number two propeller indication warning and the low altitude stall as a result of low thrust at start of roll for take-off from number two engine caused by an undetermined malfunction of the propeller control unit.
On the contributory factor, the AIB’s release fingered the aircraft being rotated before attaining V1, the decision to continue the take-off with flap configuration warning and auto-feather warning at low speed, poor professional conduct of the flight crew, inadequate application of Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles, poor company culture and inadequate regulatory oversight.
Among the six reports released were two accidents and four serious incidents.
Another accident report released was that of Westlink Airlines Limited Piper Aztec 23-250 aircraft with the registration number 5N-BGZ, which occurred at Matseri Village, Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State on August 11, 2014.
The serious incidents were Aero Contractor’s DHC-8-400 aircraft incident with registration 5N-BPT, with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) baggage loader on April 29, 2014 and another incident involving two Bristow Helicopters aircraft, Bell 412 helicopters with Registration numbers 5N-BGS, and 5N-BDD, at the Addax Base Helipad, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria on 12th November, 2009.
Also covered were the serious incidents involving two aircraft belonging to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT). They were the Tampico Club TB9 with the registration number 5N-CBE, which serious incident occurred at Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna State on October 4, 2012 and another serious incident involving Tampico TB–9 Aircraft with registration number 5N-CBI that occurred at the same Zaria Aerodrome on May 23, 2012.
Since assumption of office on January 2017, the AIB chief disclosed that they have released 16 accident reports, 27 safety recommendations and a total of 147 safety recommendations since the inception of AIB.
“We believe that these has impacted air safety, not only in Nigeria but globally.”
Olateru while releasing the reports at the AIB office in Lagos said that the bureau was committed to releasing accident reports promptly to realise the purpose of accident investigation, notified of the Associated crash through a phone call by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) immediately after the accident.
From left, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) Capt. Akin Olateru, Director of Engineering, Engr. Mohammed Wali and General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi at a press briefing releasing final report of accidents investigated and their recommendations held at Air Safety House, AIB, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
From left, General Manager, Audit, Mr. Suraj Adamu, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) Capt. Akin Olateru and Director of Engineering, Engr. Mohammed Wali at a press briefing releasing final report of accidents investigated and their recommendations held at Air Safety House, AIB, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
AIB released four safety recommendations on the crash, which were all directed at NCAA.
AIB called on NCAA to enhance the enforcement of the regulations with regards to the implementation of operators approved personnel training programme and intensification of its safety oversight function on the airline to ensure that flight operations were carried out in accordance with approved operations manuals in line with the provisions of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).
Others were improved safety oversight on the affected carrier to ensure staff welfare issues, and that remunerations were settled promptly and the establishment of Confidential Voluntary Reporting System, which must be implemented in line with the State Safety Program.
On the two Bristow Helicopters serious incidents at the Addax Base Helipad, Calabar in Cross River State on November 12, 2009, like Associated Airways, the bureau also made four safety recommendations.
AIB recommended that the regulatory agency should ensure that Calabar Base Helipad Manual of APDNL be reviewed to comply with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs), APDNL should ensure that helicopters are properly parked in designated locations, APDNL should ensure that Helicopter Landing Officers (HLOs) are always present during aircraft operations and the agency should ensure that helicopter flight operations at the Helipad were done in accordance with Nig. CARs.
AIB in the report, however, stated that NCAA responded to the safety recommendations of the bureau and implemented them.
On the Aero Contractors incident with NAHCO aviance baggage loader vehicle fleet L3-23 and a parked Bombardier DHC-8-400 aircraft of Aero Contractors,
AIB in its report said the NAHCO personnel who operated the baggage loader vehicle was neither employed to operate the vehicle, nor was he authorised to do so.
The report observed that the rostered driver of the baggage loader vehicle was not available at the time of the occurrence and cited the non-adherence to NAHCO Safe Operating Procedures by the Ramp manager as one of the contributory factors to the incident.
It also made four safety recommendations to NCAA, which included ‘strict adherence to NAHCO’s Standard Operating Procedures’ and ‘Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) holders should determine the minimum number of personnel for airline ground handling operations to be deployed for each aircraft type.’
On the Westlink Airlines’ Piper Aztec 23-250 aircraft accident, AIB identified inadequate visual lookout and failure to avoid the obstacle by the pilots as the only causal factor responsible for the accident.
The contributory factors included less than adequate planning and preparation for the flight, inadequate pilot training and experience on agricultural aerial work and limited regulatory guidance and oversight on agricultural operations.
It also made four safety recommendations to NCAA in its report.
The report also included two NCAT serious incidents that occurred on May 23, 2012 and October 4, 2012 in Kaduna State, which generated eight safety recommendations.
Google+