The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has mandated the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) to lead investigation into the crash of its Beechcraft 350 aircraft.
The accident which occurred when the aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on May 21, claimed 11 lives, including that of the chief of army staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru.
The others were Brigadier Generals Ahmed Kuliya, O Olayinka, and MI Abdulkadir; Majors N Hamza, LA Hayat; Sergeants O Adesina, and Umar; as well as Aircraftman OM Oyedepo, Flt Lt TO Asaniyi, and Flt Lt AA Olufade.
It was reported that the aircraft marked 5N-R203 was slated to land at the Nigerian Air Force Base in the Mando area of Kaduna but diverted to land at the civil airport due to inclement weather.
A statement by the spokesman for the agency Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, disclosed that the Bureau had recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the ill-fated Beechcraft 350 aircraft and investigation had started.
According to him, investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja.
It stated that the mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020 covering areas of mutual assistance.
