By Dickson Omobola
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has disclosed that the pilot who flew the private aircraft with registration number N989BC, which landed on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State, is 75 years old, while the co-pilot is 70.
Director of Operations, Licensing and Training, Capt. Don Spiff, said both pilots held American licences and operated under United States aviation regulations, adding that neither of them was considered overaged under the applicable rules and the aircraft was American-registered.
Speaking on News Night, an Arise TV programme, Spiff, however, said while the current age limit for commercial pilots in Nigeria was 65, the country’s regulations were under review.
He also faulted the pilot’s decision to take off from the road after the incident, saying the action was unauthorised.
He said, “Before I say anything, I must remind you that investigations have already started on this incident. So, I must not kind of preempt anything. However, I can tell you for sure that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Board, or NSIB, which is mandated to carry out investigations on serious incidents and accidents, is already on it.
“If they determine that it is not a serious incident, then they will hand it over to the NCAA. The pilots that flew that aeroplane have American licences. The pilot is 75. The co-pilot is 70. The pilot is not overaged in America. The standards in Nigeria are slightly different from America. This aeroplane is an American-registered aeroplane with November registration. The pilots that flew it hold American licences. They operate in America. They have different parts. They call them the condition of regulations. They are operating under what they call Section 14. And not only was Section 14, but this aircraft was operated under Section 14.
On what the rule in Nigeria says, he said, “In Nigeria, it is 65. Once you are 65, you stop flying commercial. But we are also reviewing our regulations. Aviation is a very dynamic field; it is not static. It is not stationary. It is an improvement, a modification every day. Nigeria itself is looking into it. It is in the Civil Aviation Act. It is yet to be implemented that after 65, a Nigerian pilot can actually fly privately, not commercially, as long as he passes his first-class medical check-up.
“But these guys are not flying with Nigerian licenses. The owners of this aircraft will eventually be revealed when the investigation gets there. But the operator of this aircraft could be different from the owner.
“But the operator is VMO Aero. It is a Nigerian company, but this aircraft is American-registered, and because it’s American-registered, the pilots hold American FAA licences and operate under part 91 and part 135 of the regulations of the FAA.
“It is not a breach. This aeroplane had a flight plan filed from Lagos to Asaba. That was his destination. He did go to Asaba and made an approach in Asaba. He could not land. He did a go-around. How he ended up landing on a strip or a road, a newly constructed road, only the pilot and his God could determine. During the investigation, it would come out if there was any ulterior motive to it.
“For him to have taken off, it was not allowed because he did not obtain any clearance for takeoff. He did a kamikazoo action. There will be penalties. So far, the NCAA has suspended their commercial certificate, which is called a PNCF.”
Asked about the safety of Nigerian airspace, he said, “I must say at this point that for one incident to have happened in so many months and years should not question the safety of Nigerian airspace. The Nigerian airspace is very safe. This was an isolated incident.”
