Bauchi Airport In Complete Darkness When Police Helicopter Crashed – Report – Newstrends
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Bauchi Airport In Complete Darkness When Police Helicopter Crashed – Report

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Police Crashed Helicopter

The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) has released four preliminary reports on serious incidents and accident involving aircraft owned and operated by United Nigeria Airlines Limited, Max Air, Air Peace and the Nigerian Police Air Wing.

A Bell Helicopter with registration number: 5N-MDA belonging to the Nigeria Police had crashed in Bauchi State on January, 2022, with six people on board comprising three passengers and three crew members. However, there were injuries but no fatality.

Releasing a preliminary report on the incident three months after, the AIB-N said the police’s helicopter, which departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA), Abuja to Maiduguri on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan with a planned technical stop at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport, Bauchi crashed at 19:47hrs in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).

The AIB-N blamed the incident on a breakdown of onboard equipment and communication gaps between the crew and control towers.

The report stated that at 17:50hrs, the tower cleared the aircraft to Abuja control zone boundary en route to Bauchi, not above 5,500ft and to standby lift.

It said the tower then passed prevailing wind as 110/04kts and further cleared the helicopter to lift, left turn out after lift in which the pilot responded in affirmative.

The report stated that the crew further stated that at 18:40hrs when they were abeam Jos Airport, they made attempt again to establish two-way communication with Jos tower, but proved abortive.

However, despite this, the flight still continued as filed, but at 18:46hrs, the helicopter tried to establish initial contact with Bauchi tower on 124.5 MHz without response.
This, the report said the crew continued its failed attempt to establish two-way communication with the Jos tower every five-minute intervals until they got to the Bauchi control zone boundary, yet, continued with preparations for landing with the belief that even if the tower was closed, provided the airport was illuminated, they could land.

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Unfortunately, at 5 NM to Bauchi, there was no sign of any lighting at the airport as the entire airport was in complete darkness.

The helicopter descended to 3,000ft and positioned for the runway centerline using Global Positioning System (GPS), but the pilot was able to have visual contact with the runway centerline, which he later lost due to darkness and later initiated a ‘go around.’

The report added: “During the final approach to land at the third attempt, the PM suddenly saw a tree on its flight path, which was neither detected by the GPWS nor the Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS). The crew verified that both systems were certified functional prior to the flight, also the Aural Warning (AW) did not sound and the visual display didn’t indicate that the aircraft was approaching an obstacle.

The report explained that at 19:47hrs, as the crew pulled up to avoid the tree, one of the main rotor blades hit the branches of the tree, while the helicopter tail rotor struck the tree, which resulted in the accident.

“At that moment when the skid of the helicopter had contact with the ground, Bauchi tower called 5N-MDA on the radio “Aircraft calling Bauchi tower” and the PM replied, “we are on the ground.” Bauchi Tower further asked “confirm on ground air force side? “, but the crew did not respond. The crew and passengers disembarked without injury.”

The report stated that the helicopter was substantially damaged due to the impact of the accident.

AIB-N issued 11 safety recommendations to the Nigerian Police Air Wing (NPAW), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

It asked the Air Wing to always adhere to the applicable provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs 2015) sub-part 8.6 on Flight Planning and Supervision, while also ensuring that its flight crew take cognisance and adhere strictly to the operating hours of destination and alternate airfields before the commencement of flights.

It said NAMA on the other hand should ensure adequate and timely coordination of Visual Flight Rule (VFR) flights between departure and destination aerodromes and also ensure that VFR flight operations are conducted within the weather minima and specified for such operations.

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For NCAA, AIB-N recommended that the agency should ensure that NAMA always verifies that all VFR flights arrive at destinations within the operational duty hours of the destination airport and that the conduct of the flight meets the minimum VFR flights requirements, in accordance with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs 2015) and Nigerian Aerospace Management Agency’s approved manuals.

Other reports are the Serious Incident involving Max Air Boeing 737-300 aircraft, which was parked at Abuja airport with nationality and registration marks 5N-DAB and involved in an on-ground collision with Skyway Aviation Handling Co. Plc (SAHCO) lavatory service truck with fleet number 9/5 on 21st November 2021.

Another preliminary report issued was on the Serious Incident involving the United Nigeria Airlines Embraer 145LR aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BWW, which was climbing out of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria when a serious incident occurred at about 4,000 feet on 17th November, 2021.

The last was on the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft owned and operated by Air Peace Limited with nationality and registration marks 5N-BUQ, which occurred after take-off from Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, Nigeria enroute Lagos on 22nd November, 2021.

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Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a fake Inspector who engages in armed robbery and car snatching, among other crimes. 

This was disclosed by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu while parading the suspect among other suspected criminals on Wednesday.

According to the Dosu, Monday Igbali, the fake inspector, was a former sergeant who was dismissed after being charged in a kidnapping case in 2021.

He noted that three fancy cars were recovered from Igbali, who runs a gang of five criminals.

Dosu states, “The command commenced an investigation in response to a report filed on August 11, 2023, by one Fibika Kingsley that his Lexus EX330 had been stolen at gunpoint along Agip Road by five gunmen.’’

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“The investigations led to the arrest of one Monday Igbali, aged 43, a native of Okwuzi in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State.

“He is a former police sergeant who was dismissed after being indicted in a kidnapping case in 2021.

“Since his dismissal, he has continued to parade himself as a police officer, even claiming to be an Inspector of Police, a rank he did not attain before his dismissal.

“He works with a gang of five, with four gang members still at large.

“He has robbed a total of nine cars and sold them for between N1.3m and N2.5m each. He was arrested on March 8, 2024, at his home in Chokocho, Etche, after the police conducted due surveillance following investigations.

“We have recovered three cars from him: a Lexus 330, a Lexus IS250, and a Toyota Highlander.”

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

The military has finally released Segun Olatunji, editor of FirstNews, who has been in their custody since March 15.

Olatunji was released on Thursday to Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren and The Nation Deputy Editor Yomi Odunuga under a bridge in Asokoro, Abuja.

It was also learnt that the documents for his release were signed inside a security vehicle with heavily armed operatives.

The security agents were said to be masked and the number plates of their vehicles covered up.

The editor was abducted by armed men in his home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos, on March 15.

His family members were kept in the dark on his whereabouts and why he was arrested.

Several groups, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors, almost daily mounted pressure on the government for Olatunji’s release.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute said the journalist was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

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He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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