How expired permit, ineligible pilot led to police helicopter crash – NSIB
Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, Tuesday, revealed that the Pilot in Command, PIC, of the Bell 429 helicopter operated by the Nigeria Police Air Wing and involved in an accident on January 26, 2022, was not eligible to conduct the flight.
NSIB also disclosed that the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight, PNCF, issued to the Nigeria Police Air Wing, NPAW, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, expired in September 2017 and was not renewed.
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Addressing newsmen, Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh jr., while presenting the final report among others reports, said the co-pilot was, however, certified, licenced, qualified and competent to fly as either PIC or copilot, having met the requirement stipulated in the relevant sections of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Nig.CARs 2015.
His words: “The pilot was licenced, certified and appropriately type-rated as Part 2 on the Bell 429 helicopter, which confers the privileges of Second in Command on the Pilot. However, the pilot was not eligible to conduct that flight exercising the privileges and authorities of the Pilot In Command, PIC, except he is appropriately type rated on Bell 429 helicopter, per subsections 2.3.1.3 – (a), (b), and (c), 2.3.2.1 – (a)(3) and (b), and 8.14.9.4 of the Nig. CARs 2015; respectively. Therefore, the investigation determined that the pilot was not qualified and not competent to operate the flight as the PIC, having not met the requirements stipulated in the relevant sections of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Nig.CARs, 2015.
“The aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. The mass and centre of gravity of the helicopter was not determined, as there was no substantial document to avail detailed information about the prescribed limits of the helicopter before the departure of the accident flight.
“The investigation revealed that the Nigeria Police Airwing, NPAW, Operation’s Unit coordinated inadequately during the flight preparation. The PNCF issued to the Nigeria Police Air Wing, NPAW, by the NCAA expired in September 2017 and was not renewed. The investigation determined that the accident flight was improperly dispatched and it was not operated per the extant regulations, as contained in Subpart 8.14, subsections 8.14.2.11, 8.14.2.12 and 18.2.4.2 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation, Nig. CARs 2015; respectively.
“The aerodrome requires adequate lightings for manoeuvres, approach and landing during the operational hours. However, the three approaches attempted were outside the operational hours. The analysis concentrates on crew qualification and competency, crew actions during (cruise, approach and crash landing) phases of the flight and human factors (active and latent) involved in the occurrence.”
