The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has revealed that the Pilot in Command of a Bell 429 helicopter operated by the Nigeria Police Air Wing, which crashed on January 26, 2022, was not eligible to conduct the flight.
The NSIB also disclosed that the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight issued to the Nigeria Police Air Wing by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority expired in September 2017 and had not been renewed.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., presented the final report on the crash, alongside other reports.
According to Badeh, while the co-pilot was certified, licensed, and competent to fly as either a PIC or co-pilot, the pilot in charge of the flight was not qualified to act as PIC.
He said, “The pilot was licensed, certified, and appropriately type-rated as Part 2 on the Bell 429 helicopter, which allows him to act as Second in Command. However, the pilot was not eligible to conduct that flight as the Pilot In Command, except he was appropriately type-rated on the Bell 429 helicopter, in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Nig.CARs 2015.
“The investigation determined that the pilot was not qualified and not competent to operate the flight as PIC because he did not meet the requirements stipulated in the relevant sections of the regulations.”
Badeh further explained that the Nigeria Police Air Wing’s operations unit poorly coordinated the flight preparation. He said, “The PNCF issued to the Nigeria Police Air Wing expired in September 2017 and was not renewed. The investigation also determined that the accident flight was improperly dispatched and did not follow the required regulations.”
He noted that while the helicopter had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, the mass and centre of gravity were not determined before the flight due to missing documents.
On the attempted landing, Badeh said, “The aerodrome needed proper lighting for manoeuvres, approach, and landing during operational hours. Unfortunately, the three approaches attempted were outside operational hours, which added to the difficulties.”
The investigation focused on crew qualification, actions during the flight, and human factors that contributed to the crash.
The report highlights the need for strict compliance with aviation regulations and improved coordination in flight operations to prevent similar accidents in the future.
