The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has issued preliminary findings more than a month after the terrible jet crash involving Flints Aero Services Limited, which was transporting the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, from Abuja to Ibadan.
The NSIB’s statement, presented by the Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, sheds light on critical details implicating the aircraft owners, Flints Aero Service, in the unfortunate incident. The report discloses that the airline, entrusted with the minister’s flight, had been issued a Permit for Non-Commercial Flight. Shockingly, this permit strictly prohibited the use of the aircraft for flying passengers, cargo, or mail for hire or reward.
Despite these explicit regulations, the ill-fated flight violated its permit rules, carrying a total of ten individuals, including two cockpit crew members and one cabin crew. The aircraft, with a fuel endurance of three hours, crash-landed near Ibadan on November 3.
Moreover, the NSIB’s investigation brings to light a critical lapse in the crew’s qualifications, particularly in night-time flight operations. The report reveals that the crew lacked sufficient experience for such operations, raising serious concerns about the airline’s adherence to safety protocols.
In a further blow to Flints Aero Service, the NSIB’s findings indicate potential violations of the Air Operator Certificate issued by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. The implications of these revelations are likely to have far-reaching consequences for the airline as the investigation unfolds.
