NSIB directs review of Dana Air standard operating procedure

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has directed Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to review Dana Air Limited’s training program and standard operating procedures.

The Bureau said the review should be done with a view to highlighting Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Threat and Error Management (TEM) as tools in management of abnormal or emergency operations.

NSIB directives are contained in four incidents and accidents reports and 20 safety recommendations released on Thursday at a virtual news conference.

The news conference was jointly addressed by NSIB’s Director- General, Capt. Alex Badeh, and Director of Transport Investigation, Mr Abdullahi Babanya

“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should ensure that Dana Air Limited adheres to standard phraseology in communicating indication malfunctions during abnormal or emergency operations.

“NCAA should ensure Dana Air Limited comply with timely use of Checklist / Quick Reference Handbook particularly at critical phases of flight when dealing with abnormal and emergency situations in line with standard company operating procedures.

”Nigeria Airspace Management Agency should ensure that Air Traffic Controllers always insist on communication of specific malfunctions with standard phraseology, in this instance, the use of `indicated system malfunction…` rather than `gear disagree,” the Bureau recommended.

The recommendations were sequel to a preliminary report on a serious incident involving MD-82 aircraft operated by Dana with nationality and registration marks 5N-BKl which occurred at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on April 23.

The preliminary report of the Bureau also revealed how a popular Nollywood actor, Johnpaul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope, and four other Nollywood personalities died on April 10 when their boat capsized in Anam River in Anambra en route to Asaba Jetty.

According to the report, the boat, which was conveying 12 Nollywood movie production crew and the driver was on high speed when it crashed into a crossing local fishing canoe.

“The speed boat capsized and all occupants were flung into the Anam River.

“Five passengers were fatally injured and seven were rescued alive. The NSIB was not officially notified but got to know about the accident through social media.

“Investigators from the Enugu Regional office of NSIB were dispatched to the accident site on April, 12, 2024.

“The boat driver was not certified. The fibre boat was not registered with the National Inland Waterways Authority,” the report read.

According to the report, rowdiness in the boat distracted the driver not to look out as required, adding that the boat was on high speed and the crossing canoe was moving at a much slower speed.

It stated that the only occupant of the canoe, on sighting the fast approaching boat, jumped into the river and escaped.

“Five passengers on the boat were fatally injured, while the remaining seven passengers and the driver survived the crash. Only one passenger on the outboard engine fibre boat was wearing a life jacket.

“The only passenger wearing a life jacket came with it and was not provided by the operator. The passenger wearing the life jacket was one of the survivors.

“The boat was fitted with an outboard engine. Rescue operation was not timely and there were no trained divers around to assist in the operation,” the report read.

The NSIB also released aviation incident final reports of an incident involving Embraer 145 LR Aircraft operated by Air Peace Limited with national and registration marks 5N-BVD which occurred in Kaduna (civil) airport on Jan. 14, 2021.

The second aviation final report was an onground collision between a lavatory service truck with fleet number 9/5 operated by Skyway Aviation Handling Co. Plc (SAHCO) and a parked Boeing 737-300 aircraft with national and registration marks 5N-DAB.

According to the report, the incident that occurred on Nov 21, 2021, involved the aircraft owned and operated by Max Air Limited.

Bade said that the publication of the four reports served as a testament to NSIB’s commitment to safety and underscored its mission to prevent similar occurrences in the future. (NAN)