NSIB Advocates Preservation Of Evidence In Accident Investigation
The Director General of Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Capt. Alex Badeh (Jnr), has emphasized the need for preservation of evidence in accident investigation, stressing that it will help to enhance safety and save lives in the industry.
Speaking at the Aviation Stakeholders Engagement Workshop organized in Lagos by NSIB, Badeh said accident and incident investigation report are non- punitive and so, it is necessary for cockpit crew and other industry players to cooperate in preserving evidence.
In his presentation on the topic, “The Regulator’s Mandate: Strengthening Safety Oversight Through Evidence Integrity And Personnel Wellness,” the Director General, Civil Aviation, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo who was represented by Engr. Ifeanyi Iteke said “accident and serious incident investigation is evidence-based and these evidences must be preserved, factual, relevant and thoroughly analyzed in order prevent reoccurrence.
From design, operation and maintenance of equipment, humans are involved at the different stages. These persons, especially the operating crew, maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, aerodrome operators, allied services personnel must be very well and especially in the correct frame of mind to be able to accomplish their responsibilities.”
“The NSIB’s investigation of accidents and serious incidents are based on the gathering and analysis of factual evidences. During the investigations, one of the primary objectives is to gather all material, relevant evidences, that enables the Bureau to determine the facts, circumstances and conditions that led to the occurrence that prompted the investigation.
Therefore, it is imperative that these evidences are preserved for the investigation. It is to this intent that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 7.8.1.3 in paragraph (a), requires that Flight recorder systems shall not be switched off during flight time. In Paragraph (b) of the same sub-section, it requires that flight recorder records, flight recorders shall be deactivated upon completion of flight time following an accident or incident. The flight recorders shall not be reactivated before their disposition as determined in accordance with the accident/incident regulations of Nigeria,” he said
Capt. Godfrey Ogbogu of Air Peace in his input, identified negligence, knowledge gap, non compliance and procedure errors as possible factors responsible for evidence compromise and that no operator is insulated from possibility of incidents and accidents.
