The Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) has affirmed that Quorum Aviation which Bell 206 B III helicopter marked 5N-BQW crashed in the Opepi Area of Lagos on Friday, August 28 killing all the three occupants has valid operating documents.
The commissioner and chief executive officer of the agency, Mr. Akin Olateru, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, also said the preliminary report on the accident would be published in four weeks’ time.
He stated that “evidence gathered till date, the helicopter has a valid Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) till October 29, 2020 and Quorum Aviation has a valid Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) that will expire November 20, 2020.”
Reacting to the speculations on the social media and other public fora with regard to the probable cause of the crash and AIB’s retrieval of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), popularly known as the Black Box, Olateru clarified that “AIB did not retrieve an FDR from the aircraft as the Bell 206 is certified at approximately 1,519kg (3,350lbs) and featured five seats.”
It is extremely important to note that the Aviation Industry is the most regulated industry globally and its operations are regulated in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“The installation and application of FDRs in aircraft is guided by ICAO Annex 6, Parts 1 and 2. The basic standards for both Parts are essentially similar. Part 1 applies to commercial aircraft while Part 2 is for non-commercial operations,” said Olateru.
The commissioner also said the helicopter does not meet the necessary criteria for an FDR and was not featured with one adding that the standard requirement for an FDR in any aircraft is ten seats.
“An FDR on the aircraft would have aided the investigation but, nevertheless, our world class trained investigators are competent to retrieve information about a crash from the wreckage and several other components of the aircraft, the site of the crash, communication with the ATC, and other documents on the aircraft and the crew,” he added.
He pointed out that “investigations are currently ongoing and conjecture at this stage is detrimental to the process.”
He explained that accident investigation is in phases and “all procedures are performed in accordance with the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2019 and the guidance of ICAO Annex 13.
“At this instance and in line with the phases of accident investigation processes, we are at the stage of evidence gathering.”
He said all the relevant stakeholders including the aircraft and engine manufacturers had been notified
He implored the media and the public to “trust AIB to be thorough and transparent in this investigation and await the formal report of findings and recommendations, which will be released after its conclusion.
“As investigation into the crash continues, AIB needs and hereby solicits for your assistance. We want the public to know that we would still be amenable to receiving any video clip, relevant evidence, or information any members of the public may have of the accident, and which can assist us further with this investigation,” he said.
He said the AIB-N has, in recent years, secured important collaborative agreements with other agencies and organisations, at home and abroad, to improve our efficiency and the safety of the Nigerian air space.
He expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Nigerian Police Force, Fire Service and other law enforcement agencies for the role they played in securing the crash site of the ill-fated aircraft and controlling the crowd at the scene.
“AIB recognises the importance of these agencies as the first responders and that is why we have conducted several training sessions involving members of security agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, the Civil Defense Corps, and Federal Road Safety Corps on the importance of securing crash sites so as to ensure that evidences are not tampered with,” he said.
In view of the role LASEMA played at the Bell 206-B3 crash site, Olateru said “AIB is looking at securing collaboration with the agency as a way of further strengthening the security at crash sites and of vital evidence that could aid our investigations.”
