* Akin Olateru
…Makes Nine Safety Recommendations
…Says Timely Release Of Reports Very Important To The Bureau
The Accident Investigation Bureau –Nigeria (AIB-N) has released the report of the Chanchangi Airlines Limited Boeing 737-282 aircraft accident that occurred at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 14, 2008 and three other final serious incident and accident reports.
The reports were released by the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of AIB-Nigeria Engr. Akin Olateru at the agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja today.
The release of these four reports brings to a total of 54 reports since the establishment of the Bureau and 35 final reports since the inception of the present administration in AIB,-Nigeria led by Engr. Akin Olateru.
In all, Olateru said that a total of nine safety recommendations were made by the bureau as it concerns the reports released today.
He also said that a total of 196 safety recommendations have been released since inception of AIB,-Nigeria, out of which 115 was released under the current administration.
He added that timely release of incident and accident reports is very important to the current administration.
According to him, “Under my management at AIB-N, timely release of reports have been crucial to the delivery of our mandate of investigating air accident and serious incidents with the aim of forestalling such occurrence from reoccurring.
These reports are the strong foundation on which the safety of the aviation industry is built and timely release of these reports is as critical as accident investigation itself.”
The reports released includes that of the accident involving a Tampico TB-9 aircraft owned and operated by Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) with nationality and registration marks 5N-CBJ, which occurred at Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna State on September 26, 2018 and report on the accident involving a Boeing 737-282 aircraft owned and operated by Chanchangi Airlines Ltd with nationality and registration marks 5N-BIG, which occurred at Port Harcourt International Airport on July, 14, 2008,
The two other reports are the accident involving a Beechcraft C90 aircraft with nationality and registration marks N364UZ owned and operated by Shoreline Energy Intl Ltd, which occurred at Barakallahu Village near Old Kaduna (Military) Airport on 24th May, 2011 and report on the accident involving a Boeing 747-200 Aircraft operated by Veteran Avia Airlines Limited with nationality and registration marks EK-74798, which occurred at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on December 4, 2013.
According to AIB, Nigeria the investigation identified causal factor to late decision to initiate a go-around after touchdown ,which resulted in loss of directional control of the aircraft after landing while the contributory factors has to do with inappropriate control inputs during landing roll and intermittent interruptions in training programme.
The Commissioner said that the agency made only one safety recommendation; that NCAT should ensure that where there are gaps in student pilots’ training, policies and procedures should be put in place in the training programme so that the students are brought up to speed in both theory and practice.
On the accident involving Chanchangi Airline aircraft, Olateru said that investigation identified both causal and contributory factors.
He said that the causal factor is the decision by the aircraft to land following an unstabilized approach (high rate of descent and high approach speed), adding that a go-around was not initiated.
The contributory factors according to AIB-Nigeria is the deteriorating weather conditions with a line squall prevented a diversion to the alternates and that the runway was wet with significant patches of standing water.
AIB-Nigeria said that no safety recommendation was made, “In view of the issuance of the Nigeria CAR 2009 and the revision in 2015, which addressed the areas of shortcomings identified in this investigation, no safety recommendations are made.”
On the accident involving a Beechcraft C90 aircraft with nationality and registration marks N364UZ owned and operated by Shoreline Energy Intl’ Limited which occurred at Barakallahu Village near old Kaduna (military) Airport on May, 24, 2011, AIB-Nigeria said that the investigation identified the causal factor as the inability of the pilot to control the aircraft to landing due to inadequate power to enable the pilot maintain the appropriate approach profile (height, speed and glide path) to cover the required distance to threshold.
The contributory factors include:
* Non-adherence to approved storage procedure
* Non-adherence to approved return from storage procedure
* Inadequate regulatory oversight by the authority on flight operation and maintenance of foreign registered aircraft in Nigeria
AIB-Nigeria made four safety recommendations:
- Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA should increase safety oversight on foreign registered general aviation aircraft operating in Nigerian airspace.
- Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA should promulgate detailed regulations/requirements on private category aircraft operations.
- Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA should liaise with the Old Kaduna (Military) Airport authorities to ensure that 1000 m beyond RWY 23 should be easily accessible in accordance with internationally accepted standard stipulated in ICAO Annex 14.
- Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA should liaise with the Old Kaduna (Military) Airport authorities to ensure that an Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) is developed and maintained in line with Nig.CARs Part 12 (Aerodrome Regulations).
Speaking on the accident involving a Boeing 747-200 aircraft operated by Veteran Avia Airlines Limited with nationality and registration marks EK-74798 which occurred at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on December 4, 2013, the bureau said that its investigation identified the Crew was not updated on the information available on the reduced runway length as the causal factor.
AIB-Nigeria listed the contributory factors as :
* Lack of briefing by Saudia dispatcher during pre-flight.
* Runway status was missing from Abuja ATIS information.
* Ineffective communication between crew and ATC on short finals.
* The runway markings and lighting not depicting the displaced threshold
* The entire runway lighting was ON beyond the displaced threshold
The investigating body also made four safety recommendations:
- Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should capture all essential information on the Automatic Terminal Information Services (ATIS).
- Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should ensure that light at any displaced portion of the runway be switched off so as not to mislead any arriving/landing traffic.
- Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should ensure that runway obstructions, and/or runway displaced thresholds are marked/lit in accordance with DNAA Airside Operations Manual and Aerodrome Manual sections 4.10.7a and 4.13.3.4 respectively and communicated on time through NOTAMs to stakeholders.
- Veteran Avia should ensure that its operations are in conformity with the approved procedures established in accordance with company manuals.
