Poor professional conduct of flight crew contributed to Associated Airline crash — AIB
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Wednesday said the poor professional conduct of the flight crew was one of the factors responsible for the Associated Aircraft crash of Oct. 3, 2013, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Commissioner of AIB, Mr. Akin Olateru, made the disclosure while presenting a final report on the crash alongside five other serious accident and incident reports to newsmen in Lagos.
The aircraft, with the registration number, 5N-BJY, was conveying the body of a former Governor of Ondo State, Chief Olusegun Agagu, for burial in his home state and had 20 persons on board.
The Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia crashed shortly after taking off from the domestic wing of the airport, killing 15 persons, including Deji, the son of a prominent politician, Chief Olu Falae.
The release of the report is coming three weeks after Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari of a Federal High Court, Lagos, ordered the airline to pay N264 million as compensation to Deji’s widow, Ese Falae.
Speaking at the ceremony, Olateru said the bureau was committed to releasing accident reports promptly, to realize the purpose of the accident investigation.
He said the AIB was notified of the Associated Aircraft crash through a phone call by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), immediately after the accident.
“The causal factor was the decision of the crew to continue the take-off, despite the abnormal number 2 Propeller indication warning and the low altitude stall as a result of low thrust at the start of roll for take-off from number 2 engine, caused by an undetermined malfunction of the propeller control unit,’’ Olateru said.
On the contributory factor, he fingered the aircraft being rotated before attaining V1, the decision to continue the take-off with flap configuration warning, as well as the auto-feather warning at low speed.
The commissioner said other factors were the poor professional conduct of the flight crew, inadequate application of Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles, poor company culture and inadequate regulatory oversight.
He said the AIB consequently released four safety recommendations on the crash, which were all directed at NCAA.
Olateru called on NCAA to enhance the enforcement of the regulations with regards to the implementation of operators approved personnel training programme.
He said the NCAA should also intensify its safety oversight function on the airline, to ensure that flight operations are carried out in accordance with approved operations manuals, in line with the provisions of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).
The AIB commissioner called for improved safety oversight on the affected carrier to ensure staff welfare issues, and that remunerations were settled promptly.
He further called for the establishment of a Confidential Voluntary Reporting System, which must be implemented in line with the State Safety Programme.
TBI Africa reports that the six final accident and serious incident reports occurred in the Nigeria aviation industry between 2009 and 2014.
Another accident report released was that of Westlink Airlines Limited Piper Aztec 23-250 aircraft with registration number 5N-BGZ, which occurred at Matseri Village, Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State on August 11, 2014.
The serious incidents were Aero Contractors DHC-8-400 aircraft incident with registration 5N-BPT, with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) baggage loader on April 29, 2014.
The bureau also released a report on the incident involving two Bristow Helicopters aircraft, Bell 412 helicopters with Registration numbers 5N-BGS, and 5N-BDD, at the Addax Base Helipad, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria on Nov. 12, 2009.
Also covered were the serious incidents involving two aircraft belonging to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
The first was the Tampico Club TB9 with registration number 5N-CBE, which serious incident occurred at the Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna State on October 4, 2012.
The second NCAT report related to the serious incident involving Tampico TB9 aircraft with registration number 5N-CBI that occurred at the same Zaria Aerodrome on May 23, 2012.
NIMASA, World Maritime Varsity sign MoU to develop maritime industry
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and World Maritime University (WMU), Malmo, Sweden on Monday in Lagos signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop human capacity for the industry.
NIMASA Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Isichei Osamgbi said Dr. Dakuku Peterside, director-general of NIMASA signed on behalf of his organization, while the President WMU, Mr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry signed for the university.
Peterside in his speech after the signing of the MoU said he led a delegation from Nigeria to Malmo for the purpose of maritime development.
He expressed optimism that the MoU would help NIMASA realize its strategic plans to reposition the country’s maritime sector. “WMU is an important element of the strategic reforms and repositioning of NIMASA to be the leading maritime administration in Africa.
“This is also part of ongoing reforms of the maritime sector in Nigeria which the President of Nigeria and Minister of Transportation are championing. The partnership with WMU is in line with the four pillar of NIMASA’s medium-term growth plan.
“Which addresses capacity building, particularly raising a new generation of forward-looking Maritime policymakers and regulators,” Peterside said.
Peterside expressed gratitude to the President and Management of WMU for their cooperation, giving a firm commitment that NIMASA would actively implement the provisions of the MoU.
In his remarks, the President of the WMU, Doumbia-Henry expressed optimism that it would help to support Nigeria’s economic growth.
“We are delighted with the engagement with NIMASA in the framework of this MoU which will set the stage for a new partnership with Nigeria.
“We will also help support Nigeria’s economic growth and the competitiveness of its maritime industry as well as advance the maritime interest of the country. This MoU also supports WMU’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Especially Goal four which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, and Goal 14 which covers ocean issues, including maritime,’’ the president said.
TBI Africa reports that the MoU covered academic, collaborative and reciprocal activities in the fields of training and research to be provided by WMU geared toward building capacity to grow the Nigerian maritime industry.
Arrangements relating to fellowship funding for the WMU M.Sc programme are included as well as the M. Phil programme offered in cooperation with the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta.
The MoU provides for NIMASA officers to take advantage of WMU’s distance learning portfolio as well as Executive Professional Development Courses to reinforce the capacity of its staff.
