Osinbajo crash: Expert rules out bad weather, suspects faulty landing gear
As the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) begins probe of recent Caverton helicopter crash, involving the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and 11 others in Kabba, Kogi State, some Aviation experts have started weighing factors that could have caused the land-crashing accident.
It would be recalled that a 15-seater Augusta AW139 Helicopter, under the management of Caverton Helicopter, was conveying the Vice President and his team to Kabba, Kogi State, on Saturday when it crash landed at the arrival ground. While the aircraft, with registration number 5N-CML, was damaged, all 12 occupants escaped unhurt.
Whereas the AIB, had in a statement, commended the professionalism of the rescue team, “without whose effort there may have been casualty and injuries,” Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the AIB, Akin Olateru, is asking for “any video clip(s), relevant evidence, or information any member of the public may have of the accident; that can assist us with this investigation”.
However, a retired Helicopter and Small aircraft pilot (German) in Ghana who spoke to Business Hilights Ghana Bureau chief at Kotoka International Airport found it hard to believe that bad weather could be fingered when amateur video viral in social media has shown that reddish dusts are everywhere showing that there is nothing like rain or readiness to rain ahead of the accident.
He said one of the key factors that can cause a land-crashing Copter to land sideways is faulty landing gear which affects the functionality of the fan blades to lose aerodynamics at that material time.
Though AIB chief has assured Nigerians of detailed, thorough and timely investigation considering this is the second in seven months the Vice president is involved in Copter land crashing, the leadership of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) has called for calm while awaiting the report of the AIB.
In a statement, the think-tank group expressed disappointment on the level preparation made for the landing of the helicopter in that area and the crowd that surged towards the helicopter after the crash, saying “if there had been fire, we would have experienced some casualties given the rush to the aircraft”.
The statement signed by Olumide Ohunayo, said “We are deeply concerned about the management of security of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is embarrassing to see the Vice President being flown by a foreign pilot, whether contracted or chartered, in a Nigerian Police helicopter as noticed in a previous flight during these campaign season. It is a slap on the huge human resource of pilots Nigeria has in abundance”.
Also speaking, leading industry analyst and Aviation Security Consultant, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd.) said “It is expected that someone left the presidential fleet to go and borrow a civil aircraft. It is also expected that such person should have done due diligence on the flying crew, expertise for that destination, its elevation and temperature since it is an uncontrolled area.
“It is not just filing the flight plan, but what information does the crew have about the terrain before take-off? The question now is, did they check that? I’m not talking whether the aircraft is serviceable or not. AIB will sort that out.
He also voiced anger on breaches in Vice president’s orderly procedures and statutory safety and security checks that must be followed, saying “In normal places, someone is actually monitoring such aircraft as it flies out. In those days, we always carry mobile towers along all areas the president will fly, especially if it’s an airport or airstrip that is uncontrolled. It doesn’t matter even if he is going to stay for 15 minutes. Everything is done to secure his life. All these things are absent these days and it is very sad.”
