The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has said henceforth, tampering with evidence at the air craft crash site is now a criminal offence and perpetrators will go to jail if found guilty.
The AIB Commissioner/CEO Mr. Akin Olateru, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja during the release of four air accident reports.
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One of the reports blamed inappropriate landing technique for the crash of Agusta Westland (AW139) helicopter marked, 5N-CML, and belonging to Caverton Helicopters.
It was conveying Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and 11 other passengers, in Kabba, Kogi State on February 2, 2019 when it crashed on landing.
Olateru also said there was non-adherence to company procedures for known or anticipated brownout condition during landing, lack of risk assessment, limited landing site preparation and planning prior to commencement of the flight.
The report indicated that the “flight crew encountered a brownout condition during the hover to land, resulting in a misjudgement of distance and ground clearance, as it tried to land.
The other three reports include that on the Serious Incident involving Bombardier DHC-8-Q400 aircraft owned and operated by Aero Contractors which occurred at FL240, 80 NM to Lagos on April 18, 2017; report on the Serious Incident involving a Diamond DA-42 aircraft operated by the International Aviation College (IAC), which occurred on Runway 23 Ilorin International Airport on May 1, 2019; and a report on the Serious Incident involving a Diamond DA-40 aircraft IAC on Runway 23, Ilorin International Airport on March 27, 2014.
AIB also recommended that the NCAA should conduct a Safety Management System (SMS) audit of Caverton Helicopters.
