Black box of NAF crashed aircraft recovered by AIB, as investigation begins

Yusuf Bello| The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) on Saturday said it has recovered the flight data recorder (black box) of the military aircraft that crashed in Kaduna state.

A Beechcraft 350 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) crashed around the Kaduna international airport on Friday evening, killing the country’s army chief, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers on board the plane.

Attahiru was said to be on his way to Kaduna to attend a passing-out parade for army recruits scheduled for Saturday.

According to a statement by Tunji Oketunbi, AIB general manager for public affairs, the bureau has commenced investigation into the crash.

Oketunbi said the aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) have been recovered for analysis.

The statement read, “The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB -N) has been mandated by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to lead the investigation into the crash of a military aircraft that occurred on Friday in Kaduna, in which the Chief of Army Staff died.”

“The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the accidented Beechcraft 350 aircraft have been recovered and investigation has commenced.

“Investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja.

“The crash, which occurred on landing, claimed 11 lives including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, his aides, and the flight crew.

“The mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020, covering areas of mutual assistance.”

The remains of the officers who died in the crash were laid to rest at the national military cemetery in Abuja on Saturday.