The Bell 206-B3 helicopter with registration marks 5N-BW, which crashed in the Ikeja area of Lagos state on August 28, may have come down owing to inadequate fuel in its tank.
According to a 15-page report released by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Monday, initial findings include that the helicopter had a valid certificate of airworthiness and was topped to full-tank capacity on August 27 after which a 20-minute test-flight was conducted.
AIB’s report also noted that the helicopter had no fuel jettisoning capacity although eyewitnesses had told Channels Television that the pilot released fuel from above, before the crash.
The report added that the ill-fated aircraft had an endurance of three hours and 15 minutes and a flight time of two hours and 45 minutes.
The aircraft, on August 28, flew for almost three hours and crashed with no fuel left in its tanks.
The investigation is still ongoing, the accident agency said.
Deadly Crash
The helicopter crash, which occurred in a residential area, had stunned Lagosians.
All three persons onboard – one pilot, an engineer, and a fitter mechanic – died.
However, no casualty was recorded from those on the ground.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, visited the site of the crash barely 24 hours after the incident and promised to help repair the damaged properties.
The helicopter, belonging to Quorum Aviation, had been traveling into Lagos from Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
Source: Channels TV
