The Accident Investigation Bureau has said it will fly out the black boxes of the Bristow Helicopter’s aircraft that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on February 3 to the United Kingdom for investigation.
The aircraft, carrying nine passengers and two crew members, departed the ERHA Oil Platform for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Monday on the investigation into the incident, the AIB Commissioner, Dr. Felix Abali, said the agency had carried out initial field investigation and had retrieved vital components such as the Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder and Cockpit Image Recorder for further analysis.
He said that the black boxes, especially the CIR, were to be flown to the United Kingdom because the equipment to download them was not available in Nigeria.
Abali noted that the TRIM actuators would be sent to the manufacturers for investigative testing, while their representatives were being expected in the country any time soon to join in the investigation.
Giving an insight into some events that happened on the day of the crash, the commissioner said the crew declared May Day twice.
He said, “The first was declared by the crew at 78 nautical miles from Lagos complaining of instrument problems. The aircraft descended from 3,000 feet to 1,500 feet. At this time, the Flying Officer was the Pilot Flying.
“The captain took over control expecting to stabilise the helicopter, but the aircraft was not responding to control inputs. She declared the second May Day to the radio operator at the offshore platform, which was relayed to the ATC by two separate aircraft. One aircraft was following the communication and relayed the ditching, which occurred at 10:20am at 29 nautical miles away from the platform.”
Abali listed some of the steps the AIB had taken so far to include administering toxicological tests on the crew, which proved negative to any substance abuse, in addition to interviewing one of the passengers.
The AIB commissioner said that further investigation would focus on the aircraft controls with avionics interface and maintenance records, including examination of technical logs.
Abali added that further interviews with the crew, maintenance personnel and others relevant to the investigation were also ongoing.
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