AIB report reveals late Suntai was incompetent, not certified to fly the ill-fated aircraft

Final reports of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has revealed that late Danbaba Suntai, former Taraba State governor, who flew the aircraft involving a Cessna 208BCaravan in 2012 was not certified, not qualified and incompetent to fly the aircraft.

The serious accident occured on-board at Kwanan-Waya village, Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State on 25th October, 2012.

The report further disclosed that the decision to operate a Visual Flight Rule (VFR) after service and inadequate oversight by the regulatory authority are causal factors associated with the crash.

Further findings show that the pilot did not have instrument ratings and night flight privileges and the pilot reported the number of persons in board as six to the control tower as against four actual persons found after the accident.

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On safety recommendations, Akin Olateru, the commissioner and CEO of AIB said the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should take appropriate action to relocate the existing control tower at Yola Airport in order to enhance the aerial view of the approach part of runway 35 from the tower.

Olateru also suggested that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority should ensure all pertinent regulations with regards to the operations of the aircraft and certification of all relevant personnel and facilities of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Taraba State government are appropriately complied with.

IFEOMA OKEKE

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.