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| Date: | Wednesday 26 January 2022 |
| Time: | 19:47 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 429 GlobalRanger |
| Owner/operator: | Nigerian Police Air Wing |
| Registration: | 5N-MDA |
| MSN: | 57084 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bauchi Airport (DNBA) -
 Nigeria
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Abuja-Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV/DNAA) |
| DNBA | |
| Investigating agency: | NSIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter, 5N-MDA, was scheduled to depart Abuja (DNAA) for Bauchi (DNBC) for a technical stop and layover before proceeding to Maiduguri the next day.
The flight departed Abuja at 17:54. While en route, at 18:46, 5N-MDA tried to establish initial contact with Bauchi Tower, but there was no response. They consistently tried to raise Bauchi Tower at five-minute intervals until reaching the Bauchi Control Zone boundary, with still no contact.
Thereafter, 5N-MDA continued with preparations for landing with the belief that even if the Tower was closed, provided the airport was illuminated, they could land. The crew further stated that at 5 NM to DNBC, there was no sign of any lighting at the airport as the entire airport was in complete darkness. 5N-MDA descended to 3,000 ft and positioning for the runway centreline using GPS. They came over the runway and the PM was able to obtain visual contact with the runway centreline, but soon after, the PM lost visual contact due to darkness and therefore called for a Go Around. The PF responded and initiated the Go Around, while the PM pressed the GA button. 5N-MDA executed two Go Around with intention to land, but due to lack of airfield lighting and darkness, the crew could not sight the runway. During the final approach to land at the third attempt, the PM suddenly saw a tree on its flight path.
At about 19:47 h, as the crew pulled up to avoid the tree, one of the main rotor blades hit the branches of the tree while the helicopter tail rotor struck the tree which resulted in the accident. At that moment when the skid of the helicopter had contact with the ground, Bauchi Tower called 5N-MDA on radio "Aircraft calling Bauchi tower" and the PM replied "we are on ground."
The crew and passengers disembarked without injury.
Causal factor
The decision to operate the flight outside the operation hours of Bauchi Airport after sunset.
Contributory factors
- Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) safety oversight on NPAW was inadequate
- The decision to embark on the flight without adequate dispatch preparation
- The inability of Abuja ATC to advise the 5N-MDA crew accordingly before departure
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://aib.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Preliminary-Report-to-5N-MDA.pdf
https://www.naijanews.com/2022/01/27/just-in-police-helicopter-with-six-people-onboard-crashes-in-bauchi-state/
https://guardian.ng/news/nigerian-police-helicopter-crash-in-bauchi/
https://dailytrust.com/police-aidb-nama-disagree-over-helicopter-crash-in-bauchi
https://aib.gov.ng/press-statement-on-nigeria-police-helicopter-occurrence/
https://www.aeroboek.nl/429/57084_5NMDA_1C.png (photo)
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 3 August 2019 | 5N-MDA | Nigeria Police Airwing | 0 | Abuja | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Jan-2022 13:30 | gerard57 | Added |
| 27-Jan-2022 13:34 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, ] |
| 27-Jan-2022 13:58 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 28-Jan-2022 06:15 | gerard57 | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 17-Feb-2022 20:40 | harro | Updated [Source, ] |
| 27-Apr-2022 18:25 | harro | Updated [Time, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 16-Jan-2025 09:23 | ASN | Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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