Rivers crash: Helicopter lacked flight data recorder, disintegrated on ditching into ocean –NSIB

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has disclosed that the Sikorsky helicopter with registration 5N BQG operated by  Eastwind Aviation, which crashed on October 24, 2024, was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR).

The helicopter with eight persons on board ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean at about 11:22 am.

During a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja which Daily Sun monitored virtually and where the agency released its preliminary report, the NSIB Director General, Alex Badeh, said the aircraft was not fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), despite the fact that Part 7.8.2.2(q) of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 requires that FDR must be fitted on all helicopters.

Badeh while speaking, said the flight crew also used non-standard phraseology throughout the flight, adding there were no standard callouts for the various phases of the flight. The aircraft’s radio altimeter was snagged and deferred on October 18, 2024, six days before the accident, adding that no dew point data was reported in the weather information passed to 5N-BQG on the day of the occurrence.

The preliminary report also stated that no one could survive the accident as the helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean and disintegrated upon impact with the water surface and its various parts scattered. The main wreckage was found at coordinates 04°13’37’’ N 008°19’22’’ E at a depth of 42 m. While approaching the crash area, fuel was observed on the surface water. Helicopter debris and some personal belongings of the flight crew and passengers were scattered all over the area.

The NSIB said some life vests and three bodies were recovered from the crash area and some of the bodies recovered had inflated life vests on them. Further perimeter search was carried out, and no additional persons or bodies were recovered on the day of the occurrence.

According to the DG,  further findings showed that the flight crew were certified to conduct the flight and at  the initial stage, the captain was the pilot flying while the first officer was the pilot monitoring.

He said the helicopter was fitted with a solid-state cockpit voice recorder.

He said the investigators were dispatched to the site the next day and commenced post-occurrence assessment under the provisions of the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations and Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

The NSIB then recommended that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority should ensure strict compliance to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 part 7.8.2.2(q) which requires that all helicopters with a maximum takeoff mass over 3175 kg and up to 7000 kg to be fitted with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR).