AIB submits interim report of COAS death plane crash to NAF

ACCIDENT IN VESTIGATION BUREAU AIB, HAS submitted the interim report of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air-350 aircraft crash in Kaduna which claiming all 11 souls onboard including the then newly appointed chief of army staff (COAS), Ibrahim Attahiru, a retired lieutenant-general to the chief of air staff (CAS), Amao, an air-marshal at his office at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

A joint statement signed by both the image makers of AIB, Tunji Oketunbi and NAF, Edward Gabkwet, said a total of 27 initial findings and 8 immediate safety recommendations were made for the convening authority as well as other aviation related agencies for immediate implementation. It is expected that the final report will contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures as well as other detailed analysis.

“Following the unfortunate incident involving a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air -350 aircraft at the vicinity of Kaduna Civil Airport on 21 May 2021, the chief of the air staff (CAS), Oladayo Amao 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.

After about three months of painstaking joint investigation, the commissioner and chief executive officer of AIB, Akin Olateru FNSE on September 15, 2021 submitted an interim report on the sad incident to the chief of air staff (CAS), Amao, at his office at NAF headquarters, Abuja.

“The submitted report is organized into three sections namely; the information obtained in the course of the investigation; analysis of data collected in view of the Board’s Terms of Reference; and the conclusion, which covers the initial findings and immediate recommendations. It should be noted that at this interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and 8 immediate safety recommendations were made for the convening authority as well as other aviation related agencies for immediate implementation. It is expected that the final report will contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures as well as other detailed analysis”, the statement said.

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, the 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.