By Lawani Mikairu
Lagos—THE Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, Wednesday released the final report of the Associated Air plane crash that carried the corpse of late governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu and attributed the crash to the poor professional conduct of the flight crew, especially the pilots, who took off despite warning signs that the plane was not airworthy.

The report is among five other final accident and serious incident reports that occurred in the Nigeria aviation industry between 2009 and 2014. Among the six reports released were two accidents and four serious incidents.

The report on the Associated aircraft crash of October 3, 2013 with the registration number, 5N-BJY cited as its “causal factor, 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 start of roll for take-off from number 2 engine caused by an undetermined malfunction of the propeller control unit.”

On the contributory factor, the report fingered ‘’the aircraft being rotated before attaining V1, the decision to continue the take-off with flap configuration warning and auto-feather warning at low speed, poor professional conduct of the flight crew, inadequate application of Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles, poor company culture and inadequate regulatory oversight.”

Engr. Akin Olateru, AIB Commissioner, while presenting the reports to the media at AIB headquarters, Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, said that the bureau was committed to releasing accident reports promptly to realise the purpose of accident investigation.

On recommendation to avoid future recurrence, Olateru said four safety recommendations on the Associated crash , which were all directed at NCAA were made. The report called on “NCAA to enhance the enforcement of regulations with regards to the implementation of operators’ approved personnel training programme and intensification of its safety oversight function on the airline to ensure that flight operations were carried out in accordance with approved operations manuals in line with the provisions of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

“Others were improved safety oversight on the affected carrier to ensure staff welfare issues, and that remunerations were settled promptly and the establishment of Confidential Voluntary Reporting System, which must be implemented in line with the State Safety Programme.”

Another accident report released was that of Westlink Airlines Limited Piper Aztec 23-250 aircraft with the 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 Contractor’s DHC-8-400 aircraft incident with registration 5N-BPT, with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) baggage loader on April 29, 2014 and another 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 November 12, 2009.

Also covered were the serious incidents involving two aircraft belonging to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT). They were the Tampico Club TB9 with the registration number 5N-CBE, which occurred at Zaria Aerodrome, Kaduna State on October 4, 2012 and another incident involving Tampico TB–9 Aircraft with registration number 5N-CBI that occurred at the same Zaria Aerodrome on May 23, 2012.