• Warns against substance consumption by crew
Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has condemned the overwriting of critical flight data after aircraft incidents by some airlines and pilots.

The bureau warned that such actions undermined accident investigations and compromised aviation safety.

The Director General, NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr. made this known yesterday in Lagos during an Aviation Stakeholder Engagement Workshop with the theme: ‘Preservation of Accident Investigation Evidence & Substance Use Among Aviation Personnel.’

Badeh emphasised that Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) and Flight Data Recorders (FDRs), commonly referred to as black boxes, were vital in determining the root causes of air accidents and incidents.

He, however, regretted that some airline operators and pilots overwrite the devices, which would have been used to boost accident and incident investigations.

Badeh insisted that the premature overwriting of these devices had, in past occurrences, limited investigators’ ability to uncover crucial evidence needed to prevent future mishaps.

He cited provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig-CARs) 2022, noting that flight recorders must be deactivated immediately after any accident or serious incident to preserve essential data.

He said: “Let us speak about the preservation of critical evidence — particularly Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) and Flight Data Recorders (FDRs). These devices are the objective record of events in flight. We have all seen, in past incidents, how the untimely overwriting of these invaluable “black boxes” can limit our ability to uncover root causes, learn the right lessons, and prevent recurrence.”

He also reiterated that the regulations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) prohibited any crew member from operating an aircraft under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances.

Badeh mentioned the “bottle-to-throttle” rule, which bars pilots and crew from consuming alcohol within eight hours before a flight, stressing that any form of impairment could adversely affect judgment, reaction time and overall performance.

He further noted that the pilot-in-command bears responsibility for ensuring that all crew members are fit for duty before any flight operation.

He hoped that the workshop would assist in addressing emerging safety concerns in the aviation sector, particularly evidence preservation and substance abuse, while enhancing stronger collaboration among industry stakeholders.

Also, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Chris Najomo, described overwriting of CVR and FDR devices as unprofessional conduct by operators and pilots.

Najomo, who was represented on the occasion by the General Manager, Air Operator Certification and Surveillance, NCAA, Ifeanyi Iteke, warned that any organisation or individual found wanting would be severely punished according to industry regulations to serve as a deterrent to others.

Also, the former Managing Director of the United States’ National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), Dennis Jones, said it was necessary to preserve the accident scene to serve as a preventative measure against future occurrences.