Osinbajo: AIB releases preliminary report on helicopter crash
…Issues 2 safety recommendations to NCAA, Caverton helicopters
Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, Lagos
Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) yesterday released a preliminary report on accident involving Agustawestland AW139 Helicopter operated by Caverton Helicopters Limited with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N-CML which occurred at Kabba Stadium, Kogi State on February 2, 2019 with 12 persons on board, including the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. Releasing the report on Wednesday to journalists at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) office of the agency, Commissioner of AIB, Engr Akin Olateru stated that, the initial findings show that the helicopter had a valid certificate of airworthiness but that Caverton Helicopters Limited did not conduct site survey of the landing field prior to this flight. The Bureau also reported that Caverton Helicopters Limited did not carry out safety and risk assessment of the landing area prior to dispatch of the flight. As a precautionary measure, AIB issued an Immediate Safety Recommendations to Caverton Helicopter, stating that “Caverton Helicopters Limited should ensure that flight operations are carried out in accordance with the company’s approved operations manual, vis-a-vis site survey and proper safety risk analysis are done before dispatching any helicopter to unapproved landing pads”. To the aviation regulatory agency, AIB also issued that “NCAA should issue an Advisory Circular to all helicopter operators flying in Nigeria to be alert of the possibility and the effect of brownout. Appropriate procedures should be put in place to mitigate its effect(s)”. According to Engr Olateru, other initial findings as discovered by AIB are that: “drug and alcohol test for the crew could not be carried out; the flight crew were properly licensed and adequately rested to operate the flight; the Captain was the Pilot Flying (PF), and the Co-pilot was the Pilot Monitoring (PM); the take-off, climb out, cruise and approach phases were normal and that during cruise at 5,000 ft and at about 10 minutes to touchdown, the crew noticed the flight recorder light on the Crew Alerting System (CAS) come on and quick Reference Handbook items were accomplished. Other findings by AIB include: another helicopter operated by Nigeria Police Force (Bell 412; 5N-PEJ) landed ahead of NGR002; the crew briefed on landing in brownout and used the Company’s Brownout Landing Procedures; during the landing, at about 50 ft to touchdown, a heavy brownout enveloped the helicopter and the crew lost visual contact with the ground; the Co-Pilot called out radio altimeter 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 and no more; at about 14:34 h, the helicopter touched down hard on the right main landing gear and rolled over to the right; the crew carried out Emergency Landing Procedures which included immediate engines shutdown, fuel shut OFF, battery switch OFF, and generators switch off; all occupants of the helicopter were evacuated uninjured and that the helicopter was substantially damaged. Confirming that both pilot (flying), co-pilot (monitoring) and the engineer are Nigerians, Engr Olateru pointed out outstanding investigations to include: analysis of the data from Cockpit Voice Recorder information and Flight Data Recorder (FDR); analysis of the data from Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) and other non-volatile memory devices; further interviews of witnesses and further inspection of the helicopter wreckage. According to the AIB Commissioner, the Bureau was notified of the accident by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the day of the occurrence. Investigators were deployed to Kabba, Kogi State on 3rd February, 2019 and commenced post occurrence assessments, under the provisions of Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2016 and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13. While stressing that the investigations is still ongoing, Olateru warned that the purpose of this preliminary report is to provide details of the initial facts, discussions and findings surrounding the occurrence, adding that it includes information gathered from witness statements, flight recorders, Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) Data, Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) data, and preliminary inspection of the accident site and the wreckage.chu
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