The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB. said that a Sikorsky S76C+ operated by Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited, which crashed with some staff members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPC Ltd, on October 24, 2024, violated several regulations.
NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, disclosed the violations when he presented a preliminary report on the crash on Tuesday.
According to Badeh, part of the violations was failure to have a Flight Data Recorder.
He said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Nig. CARs, 2023 Part 7.8.2.2 (q) requires all helicopters with a maximum take-off mass of over 3,175kg and up to 7,000kg be fitted with an FDR.
The report said: “The helicopter was fitted with a solid-state cockpit voice recorder; The helicopter was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder; although Part 7.8.2.2(q) of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 requires that FDR shall be fitted on the helicopter; The flight crew used non-standard phraseology throughout the flight.
“A Solid State Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, was fitted on the helicopter with the following particulars.
“The Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, was recovered from the seabed at the accident site on November 8, 2024, the 13th day after the accident.
“Upon recovery, the CVR was immersed in fresh water in a container and transported to the flight recorder laboratory of the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, of the United States of America for readout and analysis.
“The last 31 minutes of the CVR recording were successfully downloaded.
“The aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean and disintegrated.
“The main wreckage was found at coordinates 04° 13 ’37” N 008° 19′ 22” E at a depth of 42 m. While approaching the crash area, fuel was observed on the surface water.
“Helicopter debris and some personal belongings of the flight crew and passengers were scattered all over the area.
“The search and recovery operation continued day and night for 14 days.
“It was characterised by violent oceanic currents and waves, heavy rains, and strong winds.”
The Eagle Online recalls that the Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG, operated by East Wind Aviation en route from Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig, ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima on October 24, 2024, leading to the death of eight persons: six passengers and two crew members.
Five bodies were recovered.
