The Accident Investigation Bureau has released a preliminary report on a helicopter crash that occurred at the Opebi area of Ikeja, Lagos on August 28, 2020.

The accident involved a Bell 206B III helicopter with nationality and registration marks 5N-BQW operated by Quorum Aviation Limited.

The report revealed that the helicopter had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness as the pilot’s last medical examination was valid till the 6th of August, 2020.

The report also indicated that the chopper was fitted with a long range extender fuel system. It however, did not have capacity for fuel jettison. The report states that the helicopter had no fuel left in the fuel tanks after the crash.

According to the AIB, the chopper which took off from Port Harcourt at 9.20 am was estimated to land in Lagos after two hours forty minutes crashed into a residential building at 12.14 pm.

The report indicated that although the chopper was topped to full tank capacity on August 27, 2020, it failed to make it to the Lagos Airport a minute before the estimated time.

The report reads: ” The helicopter crashed into the roof of a building and a wall fence impacting two vehicles parked in the compound. The mast and main rotor blades were found intact during the post-crash inspection. Post occurrence examination revealed that the fuel tanks were empty.”

“The helicopter was not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder. Neither was required by the relevant aviation regulations but equipped with a Garmic GNC Global Positioning System.”