Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has revealed that the late former governor of Taraba state, Danbaba Suntai who piloted the ill-fated a Cessna 208BCaravan in 2012 was not certified as pilot for the aircraft and therefore was not qualified and incompetent to fly the airplane.
This was contained in the final report of investigation carried out AIB, which was released yesterday in Lagos.
Suntai died on June 28, 2017 after protracted illness from the injuries sustained in the crash.
The tragic accident occurred at Kwanan-Waya village, Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State on 25th October 2012, as reports indicated then that the former Governor defied the instruction not to operate the daylight flight at dawn.
The report further disclosed that the decision to operate a Visual Flight Rule (VFR) into the airport that did not operate at night and with inadequate oversight by the regulatory authority are causal factors associated with the crash.
Further findings show that the pilot did not have instrument ratings and night flight privileges and the pilot reported the number of persons in board as six to the control tower as against four actual persons found after the accident.
According to AIB in one of its causal factors of the accident, the pilot, Suntai, had only Private Pilot License (PPL), not rated on Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and the aircraft type, but embarked on Visual Flight Rule (VFR).
Olateru, however, said that the bureau could not conclusively determine the cause of the accident, but noted that the pilot, had just 58.4 flying hours.
The report further mentioned that the regulatory agency did not carry out adequate oversight of the airline sub-sector, prior to the accident.
On safety recommendations, the Commissioner of AIB said the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should take appropriate action to relocate the existing control tower at Yola Airport in order to enhance the aerial view of the approach part of runway 35 from the tower.
Olateru also suggested that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority should ensure all pertinent regulations with regards to the operations of the aircraft and certification of all relevant personnel and facilities of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Taraba State government are appropriately complied with.
He said: “The pilot was not certified, qualified and not competent to fly the aircraft; the decision of the pilot to operate a VFR flight after sunset and the inadequate oversight by the regulatory authority.
“NAMA should take appropriate action to relocate the existing control tower at Yola Airport in order to enhance the aerial view of the approach path of runway 35 from the Tower.
“NCAA should ensure all pertinent regulations with regards to the operations of the aircraft and certification of all relevant personnel and facilities of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Taraba State Government are appropriately complied with.”
Olateru insisted that Suntai was qualified to fly Cessna 172 and not Cessna Caravan 208B, stressing that the pilot reported an incorrect estimated time of arrival (ETA at Yola as 10:01 UTC as against the time 17:19 UTC.
According to the report, the pilot also reported the number of persons on board as six to the control tower as against four actual persons found after the accident.
He explained that the bureau was unable to interview the pilot as he was immediately flown out of the country for further medical treatment.
The release of the report was coming seven years after the accident, while the governor died in 2007, five years after the accident.
Other accident reports released by AIB included the accident involving a Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited Sikorsky S76C++ Helicopter with nationality and registration mark: 5N-BQJ, which occurred at 77NM offshore from Murtala Muhammed Airport on February 3, 2016.
The accident involving a Boeing MD-83 aircraft operated by Dana Airlines with nationality and registration number: 5N-SRI, which occurred at Port Harcourt International Airport on February 20, 2018.
Besides, the serious incident involving an Airbus A330-223 aircraft operated by Delta Air Lines with nationality and registration mark: N858NW, which occurred after takeoff from Runway 18R, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on 13th February 2018 and the accident involving a Diamond DA40D Aircraft operated by International Aviation College (IAC) Ilorin with nationality and registration number: 5N-BRD, which occurred at Ilorin International Airport, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria on November 25, 2013.
The other was another serious incident involving Gulfstream G200 aircraft operated by Nestoil PLC with nationality and registration number: 5N-BTF, which occurred at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on 25th January, 2018.
