The Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) yesterday submitted an interim report of the ill-fated Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air 350 aircraft crash that killed LT. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, former chief of army staff, and 10 other military officers including crew members in Kaduna Civil Airport.
The report is coming three months after the crash and was submitted by Akin Olateru, the commissioner, and Oladayo Amao, chief executive officer of AIB to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), at his office at NAF Headquarters, Abuja. The accident occurred on May 21, 2021.
Amao after the accident directed that a joint investigative body consisting of experienced NAF safety officers and the Accident Investigative Bureau (AIB) be constituted to investigate the circumstances surrounding the air crash.
The submitted report is organized into three sections namely; the information obtained in the course of the investigation; analysis of data collected given the Board’s Terms of Reference; and the conclusion, which covers the initial findings and immediate recommendations.
In a joint statement by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, director of Public Relations and Information, and Tunji Oketunbi, general manager, Public Affairs, AIB, stated that at this interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and eight immediate safety recommendations were made for the convening authority as well as other aviation-related agencies for immediate implementation.
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They further disclosed that it is expected that the final report would contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures as well as other detailed analyses.
While receiving the report, the CAS reiterated the main essence of activating the ‘joint investigative’ clause contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the NAF and the AIB on July 1, 2020.
According to him, successful collaboration is a clear indication of the potency of collaboration in aircraft accident investigation, which must be encouraged.
Amao also noted that such collaborative efforts make accident investigations more transparent and open while also stating that the outcome of the investigation is not necessarily aimed at punitive measures but essentially at generally improving safety in the aviation industry.
On his part, Olateru stated that the joint investigation with the NAF was its first direct involvement in military air crash investigation in Nigeria and second investigation outside its mandate having also assisted Sao Tome and Principe in the past.
He also stated that copies of the report, with the endorsement of the CAS, will also be submitted to the Minister of Aviation and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure that the recommendations addressed to aviation agencies are implemented.
