Asaba road crash: Plane's flight recorder data erased, according to NSIB

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has made a significant revelation regarding the flight data recorder of the Bombardier Challenger 601 private jet operated by VMO Aero, stating that it was overwritten before investigators could take custody of the aircraft after its landing on a highway in Asaba.

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This incident occurred on July 10, when the business jet missed the airport runway and instead landed on a concrete road in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, sparking questions about the circumstances surrounding the landing and the subsequent actions of the flight crew.

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According to the NSIB, the aircraft was flown back to Lagos before investigators could arrive at the scene, resulting in the overwriting of crucial flight data stored in the recorder, which could have aided investigators in reconstructing the events leading up to the incident.

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The PUNCH reported that the authorities were unable to arrive at the location where the aircraft landed before it took off and returned to Lagos, and upon their arrival, the flight crew were arrested and handed over to the Department of State Services for further investigation.

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During a virtual media briefing on Friday, the Director-General of the NSIB, Alex Badeh, disclosed that the pilot flew the aircraft back to Lagos without clearance from Air Traffic Control, which led to the overwriting of critical flight data that could have been instrumental in determining what happened.

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Flight recorders use continuous circular memory systems, meaning that once the storage capacity is reached, new data replaces the oldest information, and in this case, the return flight resulted in the loss of crucial information related to the Asaba incident from the recorder.

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Badeh explained that the recorder was only able to capture about two hours of low-quality data, from when the aircraft took off from Lagos, landed in Asaba, and returned, but the data from the actual incident was overwritten.

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He stated that the lack of data from the flight recorder would make the investigation more challenging, but the NSIB would explore other means to obtain the necessary information to piece together what happened.

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Badeh also mentioned that the flight data recorder of the airplane did not function as expected, and although he was unsure of the cause, he did not want to blame the operators at that stage, emphasizing that the final report would provide more clarity.

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The NSIB boss cautioned against jumping to conclusions that the operators intentionally destroyed evidence, stressing that investigators were still working to establish the facts of the incident.

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Badeh raised concerns about a culture among some pilots of withholding or altering information due to fear of losing their jobs, attributing this problem to a lack of trust between flight crews and safety investigators.

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He emphasized that the NSIB does not recommend punitive sanctions and assures crew members that they will not be penalized for telling the truth, in an effort to address the trust issue.

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Beyond the Asaba incident, Badeh expressed concerns over the financial challenges facing the safety investigation agency, particularly with regards to a proposal to reduce the NSIB's share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge from six per cent to four per cent.

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The proposed reduction, aimed at increasing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency's allocation, would severely impact the NSIB, which already receives the lowest percentage of the agencies, according to Badeh.

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The NSIB's responsibilities have expanded significantly, now covering multimodal safety investigations for aviation, maritime, rail, and road transportation, making the proposed reduction unsustainable, Badeh warned.

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The funding challenge comes as the NSIB is in the process of transitioning from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to the Presidency, with the administrative process substantially complete and legislative amendments awaiting review.

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Badeh disclosed that the NSIB had not received its full six per cent allocation since around April or May, but the funding shortfall had not stopped the Bureau from carrying out investigations or expanding its multimodal operations.

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The NSIB is working on developing a more sustainable funding structure, in discussions with the NRS and the Presidency, to enable the Bureau to effectively carry out its responsibilities without being hampered by recurring financial constraints.

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Badeh also mentioned that the NSIB is seeking funds expected from other transport agencies, including the Nigerian Railway Corporation, while the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has disputed its obligation to remit certain charges.

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He commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for its cooperation with the Bureau, as the NSIB continues to work towards establishing a more stable financial foundation.