The Director General, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) , Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr, has stated that Sikorsky SK76C helicopter with registration 5N-BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation which crashed into the Atlantic ocean on October 24, 2024, was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR),
The disclosure is contained in the NSIB six Final accident Reports
and one preliminary report today, Tuesday in Abuja.
The accidents and incidents body recommended to the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as part of its immediate safety recommendations, to ensure strict compliance to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) 2023 part 7.8.2.2(q) , which according to NSIB requires that all helicopters with a maximum takeoff mass over 3175 kg and up to 7000 kg to be fitted with an FDR .
NSIB confirmed that the flight crew were certified to conduct the crashed flight.
He said so far, five bodies had been recovered while three others are yet to be found.
According to NSIB, “The flight crew were certified to conduct the flight. At the initial stage of the flight, the Captain was the Pilot Flying while the First Officer was the Pilot Monitoring. The helicopter had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. A Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan was filed..Five bodies identified as the passengers were recovered, while the remaining three occupants of the helicopter, including the flight crew, are yet to be found..The helicopter was fitted with a solid-state cockpit voice recorder.
NSIB continued, “The helicopter was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), although Part 7.8.2.2(q) of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 requires that FDR shall be fitted on the helicopter.
NSIB further informed that the flight crew used non-standard phraseology throughout the flight, adding that there were also no standard callouts for the various phases of the flight and that the helicopter Radio Altimeter (Rad alt) was snagged and deferred on October 18, 2024, six days before the accident.
NSIB stated that no due point data was reported in the weather information passed to 5N-BQG on the day of the occurrence.
Ontimenewsng.com.recall that Sikorsky SK76C helicopter with registration 5N-BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation with eight individuals made up of six passengers and two that crew members, on October 24 2024 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar, during a routine flight at approximately 11:22 AM local time.
The aircraft, according to NSIB was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the Anton Offshore Facility when it lost contact with Air Traffic Controllers(ATCs)
The accident,NSIB said was not survivable as the helicopter disintegrated upon impact with the water surface and its various parts scattered.
“The helicopter sank to a depth of about 42 meters. In total, five bodies of the passengers were recovered, while three bodies, including the flight crew and one passenger, are yet to be found,” NSIB said.
Other final reports released by NSIB are : Final Report on the Serious Incident involving Embraer 145LR aircraft operated by United Nigeria airlines climbing out of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, with nationality and registration marks 5N-BWW, which occurred at about 4000 feet United, Abuja Nigeria on November 17, 2021, among others,
Final Report on the Accident Involving a Bell 429 Helicopter operated by Nigeria Police Air Wing with occurred at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport Bauchi, Nigeria on 26 January 2022 and the final report on the Serious Incident involving Beech Baron 58 aircraft operated by Nigerian College of
Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria with nationality and registration marks 5N-CAG which occurred on runway 05 at General Hassan Usman Katsina international
Airport, Kaduna Nigeria on 31 December, 2022 among others.
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