Safety violation: NCAA hits FirstNation, pilot with N33.5M fine

First Nation Airways and one of its pilots have been fined by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over violation of safety regulations

NCAA sanction of the airline was made known in an online statement signed by the General Manager of Public Affairs, NCAA , Mr Sam Adurogboye, today   in Lagos .

Adurogboye stated that the sanction was conveyed in a Letter conveying the penalties, which  ordered  the airline to  pay a sum of N32,000,000  only while the Pilot – in – Command (PIC) of the Aircraft, will pay N1,500,000  only.

According to the Letter, “during a Ramp Inspection on your Airbus A319 Aircraft with registration mark 5N-FNE at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA),it was discovered that the PIC was not in personal possession of a current medical certificate neither was it readily accessible.”Consequent upon this, a Letter Of Investigation [LOI] was sent to the Airline and the Pilot.”

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first-naton

The NCAA however added that the pilot in their response admitted violating Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) while the airline demonstrated lack of thorough knowledge of the requirements of the regulations.

NCAA stated that with that, the airline has therefore contravened the regulations by allowing a flight crew member to be rostered to operate a total of 16 nos scheduled flights on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th November, 2016,adding that these operations were carried out while his medical certificate had expired since on the November 1, 2016, thereby rendering his Pilot License subsequently invalid from that date.

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In light of these, NCAA said it sanctioned the airline in accordance with IS 1.3.3 (14) while the pilot suffered similar fate in line with IS 1.3.3(11) (15) (e), in lieu of suspension under IS 1.3.3(11)(15)(a) of the Nig.CARs 2015.

The regulatory body added that on this strength, the airline is required to pay a total sum of N32,000,000 only while the Pilot will pay N1.5 million  only, being moderate civil penalty for the violation and that the fine must however be paid  within seven  days of receipt of the  letter from the authority.

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NCAA advised Airline Operators to acquaint themselves properly with the provisions of NCARs to guide their operations as violation[s] is viewed seriously.

Wole Shadare