Was Police Helicopter involved in crash?

On Wednesday the 26th of January, 2022, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) released a statement confirming an accident involving a Police Helicopter in Bauchi.

The Nigeria police force (NPF) chopper with registration 5N-MDA owned and operated by Police, the AIB said, had six people on board with “serious injuries” but with no fatality.

Parts of the statement issued by the AIB General Manager, Public Affairs, Tunji Oketunbi read: “The NPF helicopter had departed Abuja at 16:54 UTC for Bauchi with Six persons on board maintaining 5,500ft

“There were some injuries but no fatality.

“The investigating agency, AIB-N needs and hereby solicits for your assistance. We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clips, evidences, or information any member of the public may have of the accident that can assist us with this investigation.

“The Bureau will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and NOT assume the cause of the accident until formal report is released.”

But hours after the report went viral about the crash, the police denied that the chopper was involved in a crash.

The Force PRO, Frank Mba in a statement explained that the chopper was involved “in a controlled safe landing” at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi and that none of the occupants sustained any injury whatsoever.

The statement read in full: “The Nigeria Police Helicopter, Bell 429 5NMDA, flying from Abuja to Bauchi on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, was involved in a controlled safe landing at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi.

“The aircraft did not crash as being reported in some sections of the media and none of the occupants sustained any injury whatsoever. All six (6) on board including the pilot and co-pilot are in good condition.  

“Similarly, the aircraft, which was flown by one of the best Police Pilots, was professionally safe-landed with minor damage on the rear rotor as a result of obstacle at the landing spot. The incident occurred around 7:30PM (local time).

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has commended the Police Air-Wing for their professionalism in safe-landing the aircraft and averting any serious air-mishap. He further noted that the Nigeria Police Air-wing – with a fleet of one fixed-wing aircraft, a citation jet and thirteen (13) helicopters – has got a strong history of air safety since its establishment in the year 1972.”

The denial by the police has sent tongues wagging, wondering who was right between the police and the AIB.

The latter being the body statutorily empowered to investigate accident and incident in line with the standards and recommended practices by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) tends to be more accurate in its information on the purported accident.

What is a controlled landing?

And like the police also claimed, “a controlled safe landing” otherwise known as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) is regarded as “an accident and in some aviation accident investigations, lives were lost and the cause of the accident after investigation was labelled as CFIT.”

A CFIT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, is “an unintentional collision with terrain (the ground, a mountain, a body of water, or an obstacle) while an aircraft is under positive control. Most often, the pilot or crew is unaware of the looming disaster until it is too late. CFIT most commonly occurs in the approach or landing phase of flight.”

ICAO had also issued an advisory circular on CFIT which it classifies as a crash or accident.

According to ICAO Aviation industry data between 2001 and 2020, CFIT accounts for 21 percent of fatal accidents in the industry.

While investigation has commenced on the incident by AIB-N which is the body responsible for unravelling the causes of aircraft accidents and incidents, CFIT, according to global aviation bodies is considered an accident with potential for loss of lives.

And in line with ICAO Annex 13 and AIB Regulation 2019 definition of the occurrence, it is classified as an Accident.

And Annex 13, parts A and B of ICAO defines accident as “An occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have disembarked, in which: a) a person is fatally or seriously injured as a result of: — being in the aircraft, or — direct contact with any part of the aircraft, including parts which have become detached from the aircraft, or — direct exposure to jet blast, except when the injuries are from natural causes, self-inflicted or inflicted by other persons, or when the injuries are to stowaways hiding outside the areas normally available to the passengers and crew; or

b) the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure which: — adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and — would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component.”

The police having confirmed “minor damage on the rear rotor”, means the chopper is no longer serviceable and would require a thorough check.

Experts and stakeholders however said a thorough investigation by the AIB-N would only unravel the causal factors of the incident which would prevent a recurrence.

Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu who was asked on the issue said, “The only thing I can say is that the AIB which is a very competent and reputable organization is investigating. Whatever I tell you now, whatever the police or anybody says, to me is mere speculation. Let’s wait for the report from AIB which has shown they are up to the task. They have been very competent, they have given us very good reports and recommendations for NCAA to implement. Sometimes they would even say, ‘NCAA you too contributed’.

“I see it as a way for us to improve ourselves. If they see a gap within us and they bring it up, to me, it is a good thing so we can fix the problem. I am sure AIB will do a very good investigation and once they come out with their report, they share it with us and we sit down with them, review it and see how we can implement to prevent such further incident.”