Being the text of the speech by the Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Dr Sam Oduselu at a Press briefing held at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja on 14 March, 2009 to mark the one year Anniversary of crash of Beechcraft 1900D of 15 March, 2008 in Obudu.

The Commissioner/CEO AIB, Engr (Dr.) Sam Oduselu & Assistant General Manager Media Mr. Tunji Oketunbi at the Press briefing.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press,

Let me appreciate you for honouring our invitation to this briefing although the notice was short.

You would recall that a year ago the nation recorded the loss of a Beechcraft 1900D belonging to Wings Aviation, which took off from Lagos en-route Bebi Airport in Obudu, Cross River State.

The aircraft marked 5N-JAL was first declared missing and was not found until 30 August, 2008 by some local hunters in the thick and mountainous forest of Busi village, Obalinku Local Government despite all human and material resources deployed towards its search and rescue.

Immediately the aircraft wreckage was found, our investigators went into action. Vital components were recovered for analysis just as the remains found at the crash site were sent out for forensic purposes.

 I hereby give you an update of our findings.

The aircraft left Murtala Muhammed  Airport (MMA) Lagos at 0636hrs after filing a flight plan with estimated arrival time of 0825hrs at Bebi Airstrip.

The crew deviated from their initial flight plan estimating IKROP 0806 hrs. The aircraft contacted Port Harcourt, Enugu and Bebi control towers before contact was finally lost.

The crew experienced navigation problem en-route Bebi, received several terrain warnings from Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, EGPWS, and subsequently crashed with the three (3) persons on board fatally injured. 

Our findings revealed that the aircraft, according to records was in serviceable condition just as the pilots were qualified to fly it.

Other issues noted during investigation are as follows:

There was no approved approach procedure into Bebi airstrip.

 Unlicenced ‘radio operator’ was providing flight information services at Bebi airstrip.

 The airstrip lies under very busy airways (UA 604) from Europe to South Africa in a difficult, mountainous terrain.

 Bebi airstrip is equipped with one improvised Land Rover fire vehicle without water reservoir.

Enugu tower descended the aircraft to 5000ft AMSL (FL050) outside its control airspace not considering that the aircraft was not flying the filed flight plan route and the minimum safe altitude (MSA) of the area reported by Jepperson chart as 11, 200ft.

A minimum safe altitude (MSA) of 11,200ft was published by Jeppersen chart owing to the topography of the area.

During the Search and Rescue operation, the SAR aircraft installed with infra – red camera capability for detecting the wreckage came in seven days after SAR had commenced and it was found that infra – red camera on board was unserviceable.

The meteorological equipment in Bebi airstrip were inadequate and the few available ones were not calibrated.

 The aircraft documentation was in order and there were no outstanding defects recorded in the technical log.

 The commander did not promptly initiate terrain avoidance action when the EGPWS sounded “Terrain!” “Terrain!!” “Pull up!!!”

 The captain had a total of 852 hrs on aircraft type while the co – pilot had 204 hr on type.

 The investigation identified the following causal factors:

 1.   Lack of situational awareness, which led to a controlled flight into terrain.

 2.   The inability of the crew to identify their position while navigating to their planned destination.

 Identified as contributory factors were the flight crew’s deviation from initial filed flight plan to Bebi, poor Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) and the crew’s inability to respond promptly to several EGPWS warnings.

 Also contributing to the mishap was the fact that the ATC at Enugu could not notice the deviation of the aircraft from the initial filed flight plan route and also descended the aircraft to 5, 000ft outside Enugu control airspace without considering the minimum safe altitude of 11,200ft as specified in Jeppersen chart of the area.

The AIB has therefore made the following safety recommendations:

           The Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should ensure that there is an approved and published approach procedure for flying into Bebi airstrip.

           The Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should ensure that crews meet the Crew Resource Management (CRM) training requirement for safe flight operations.  

        CONCLUSION

 I wish to remark that this report is interim. Investigation is still ongoing even as we await reports of the DNA test being conducted on the remains of the persons on board. We are told that the initial tests conducted in South Africa have not yielded the desired results due to the condition of the remains.

We are engaging other laboratories and newer technologies in other parts of the world to get the desired result. However, pathological analysis conducted has largely helped in determining the identities of the remains.

We shall publish the final report as soon as it is ready. Meanwhile we shall post the full details of this report on our website (www.aib.gov.ng) as soon as possible.

Our hearts go to the families of the victims of this unfortunate disaster and we pray that God continues to strengthen them.

Thank you.