Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has submitted an interim report on the plane crash that resulted in the death of former Army chief, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military officers.
AIB Commissioner, Engr. Akin Olateru presented the document to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Amao at NAF Headquarters, Abuja on Wednesday.
On May 21, 2021, a NAF King Air 350 aircraft conveying the 11 officers crashed near the Kaduna international airport.
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Hours after the incident, the chief of air staff had constituted a committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the crash, which involved the aircraft.
A statement on Wednesday by NAF Director of Information, Edward Gabkwet and AIB image-maker, Tunji Oketunbi gave a brief insight into the report.
It said after the incident, Amao directed that a joint investigative body consisting of experienced NAF safety officers and the AIB be constituted to investigate.
Still at the interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and 8 immediate safety recommendations were made for the convening authority and other aviation-related agencies for immediate implementation.
A statement by Edward Gabkwet, NAF spokesman, reads;
After about three months of painstaking joint investigation, the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of AIB, Engr Akin Olateru FNSE, today 15 September 2021 submitted an interim report on the sad incident to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Amao, at his office at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.
The submitted report is organised into three sections: namely; the information obtained in the course of the investigation; analysis of data collected in view of the Board’s Terms of Reference; and the conclusion, which covers the initial findings and immediate recommendations.
He stressed;
It should be noted that at this interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and 8 immediate safety recommendations were made for the convening authority, as well as other aviation related agencies for immediate implementation.
It is expected that the final report will contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures, as well as other detailed analysis.
Speaking during the presentation of the report, the air chief commended the collaboration between NAF and the AIB, adding that it would help to promote transparency.
In his remarks, Olateru said copies of the report will also be submitted to the minister of aviation and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as part of efforts to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.
