Showing posts with label RECORDS OF AIR DISASTER IN NIGERIAS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RECORDS OF AIR DISASTER IN NIGERIAS. Show all posts

AIR DISASTER


AIR DISASTER
Air disaster is defined by the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have disembarked, in which a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure or the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible.
The first fatal aviation accident occurred in a Wright Model A aircraft at Fort Myer, Virginia, USA, on September 17, 1908, resulting in injury to the pilot, Orville Wright and death of the passenger, Signal Corps Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge.
An aviation incident is defined as an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of operations.
An accident in which the damage to the aircraft is such that it must be written off, or in which the plane is destroyed is called a hull loss accident.
AIR DISASTER RECORD IN NIGERIA 2007-2012
·        On October 29, 2007, an  ADC Boeing 737  flight from Abuja to Sokoto crashed killing 106 out of 114 on board. Among who died in the crash were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Maccido, his son, Senator Badamasi Maccido, Garba Mohammed, then deputy governor of Sokoto State,  Abdulraham Shehu Shagari  , son of second republic president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari amongst others. 

·        On November 10, 2007, an  OAS Service Helicopter crashed in Warri, Delta state killing 4 on board. In a similar development, on August 2, 2007, a  Bristow-owned helicopter crashed inside ExxonMobil facility in Port Harcout.

§  On March 15, 2008, a Beechcraft 1900D plane marked 5N-JAH, belonging to Wing Aviation crashed in the mountainous forest of Busi in Cross River State on its way to Obudu airstrip. The wreckage was not found until 6 months after the disappearance of the aircraft. All 4 man crew on board died.

§  On April 20, 2010, 97 passengers on board an Abuja bound Dana Air plane lost an engine to bird strike shortly after takeoff at MMA.  On July 30,  2011, an  helicopter belonging to Ogendengbe Air Service crashed on the Oke-Obanla hill inside the Osun State Government Reserve in Ikonifin, a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Mrs Josephine Kuteyi, and her Personal Assistant, Mrs Oyebola Okubanjo died in the crash.

§  On March 14 2011, a Nigerian Police aircraft crashed in Jos, Plateau State. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, Mr John Haruna, his orderly and the pilot died in the crash.  June 3, 2012: A Dana Air flight from Abuja to Lagos crashed into residential buildings  in Iju, near Lagos  killing scores of people.
§  On June 3 2012,  a plane belonging to Dana Air crashed in Iju , Lagos State. The plane coming from Abuja to Lagos with 152 persons on board crashed into residential buildings and burst into flames. Like in previous major plane crashes several lives were lost in the crash. Among those confirmed in the ill fated Dana Air flight was Mr Levi Ajeonuma of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC).
PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO AIR DISASTER
Once an air traffic accident occurs, there is a risk of it becoming a serious accident and every citizen has the possibility of becoming involved in one. By comprehensively and vigorously promoting the various measures in Section 2, the government is to prevent the occurrence of air traffic accidents and continue to hold the record of no fatal accidents caused by specified Japanese air carriers, which has been kept since 1986.
In order to address increasing air transport volume, while ensuring the safety of air traffic, the government will promote improvement of the air traffic environment by steadily promoting the improvement of the New Air Navigation System as well as the improvement of the airspace and air routes that facilitate more advanced air control based on the system.
Specifically, the government will comprehensively promote improvements to airports and aviation safety systems such as air traffic control facilities and aviation safety facilities, based on the Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development.
Furthermore, in order to deal more safely and appropriately with air traffic, which is becoming more complex and large-scaled with the development of the airports, there is a need not only to increase the capacity of airspace but also to operate the limited airspace efficiently. Taking this situation into account, the government will promote the improvement of airspace vigorously.
2.  Improving aviation safety systems and improving services
To build air traffic systems that appropriately respond to increasing traffic volume and the diversifying needs of users, while prioritizing the security of air traffic safety, the government will steadily promote improvement of the ”New Air Navigation System” including the Multi Functional Transport Satellite(MTSAT)
As for existing aviation safety systems that would require ongoing improvement or update, the government will promote their effective usage, and implement a gradual elimination of ground navigation aid that can be reduced according to the progress of the shift to the New Air Navigation System.
The government will also make qualitative improvement of the Air Traffic Service (ATS) offered to air transport companies by effectively utilizing the existing stocks.
 3. Improving airspace
To upgrade air traffic control, the government will carry out a drastic reorganization of the airspace and air routes utilizing the ATM function and RNAV, and increase and effectively utilize the capacity of airspace.
4.  Improving airports
A. Improving major airports in large cities
To cope with the increasing demand for domestic and international air services, the government will promote improvements to major airports in large cities as a high-priority task. In addition, they will promote necessary improvements to general airports, through measures such as upgrading existing facilities. In order to ensure passenger safety, the government will work to make air passenger terminal facilities "barrier-free," by eliminating steps and by designing them to ensure safe use by the elderly and disabled people, and promote universal-designs from the viewpoint of achieving comprehensive and general environmental improvements.
B. Improving airport safety technology
To ensure air traffic safety, it is very important that facilities such as runways are constructed strictly in accordance with designated standards. In addition, facilities must be maintained and managed to ensure that they are in perfect operating condition at all times. In view of this, the government will improve airport safety technology that directly influences air traffic safety. This includes measures to ensure air traffic safety when construction work is in progress at airports, upgrading of airport signaling facilities, checking for tarmac deterioration, maintenance to prevent destruction of vital facilities, and measures to quickly remove and melt away snow at airports where it snows.
Furthermore, the government will promote investigations and studies aimed at actively introducing new airport safety technology.
5. Enhancing the disaster measures of airports and aviation safety facilities
Even in the South Hyogo prefecture earthquake and the Mid Niigata prefecture earthquake, airport and aviation safety facilities suffered only very minor damage. As a result, the facilities were able to provide emergency transport and alternative transport for disrupted railway and road services, as well as to serve as bases for restoration activities. In this way, airports are required to maintain their functions even in times of disasters. Therefore, the government will work to strengthen measures against disasters for airports and aviation safety facilities.
The government will promote safety measures such as establishment of a new fulltime auditing section and promotion of a shift from ex-post measures to preventive safety administration. In addition, the government will encourage transportation operators to establish a safety management system that involves every level of operators, from the top management to the operational sector, and introduce a “safety management assessment scheme” in which the government will assess such a system, to secure aircraft operational safety.
7.  Strengthening supervision system for air transport companies
In view of the increasingly complex and diverse corporate structure of air transportation companies, the government will strengthen the on-site inspection system drastically, and implement systematic audits by grasping the status of safety and future risks of airliners. Also to achieve professional and accurate audits, the government will improve training for officials in charge of audits.
8.  Shifting emphasis to preventive safety administration
In order to prevent the occurrence of accidents and serious problems, the government will promote preventive safety administration to give instructions on safety measures to airliners and to review safety standards by collecting and continually analyzing information on accidents, incidents, mechanical problems and other aviation safety issues. In addition, to prevent human errors, the government will examine the method of training aviation workers and also introduce a certification system for proficiency of aviation English to improve the communication skills of pilots.
9.  Improving the skills of aviation workers
Due to the growing demand for air services, the demand for airline pilots in air transport services is expected to increase in the long run. For this reason, the government will promote training of core pilots for air carriers at the Civil Aviation College to ensure a stable supply of pilots. At the same time, in order to maintain a high quality of pilots, the government will provide sufficient guidance to air transport companies on their in-house training for pilots.
The physical and mental health of aircraft crews is another vital factor to ensure air traffic safety. This is why only doctors and medical institutions designated by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are authorized to conduct health examinations of aircraft crew. The government will instruct these doctors and medical institutions through seminars to apply evaluation criteria of examinations uniformly, while requiring air transport companies to perform suitable daily health controls of their aircraft crews. The government will also thoroughly disseminate safety-related information to air transport companies and instruct them to promote safety awareness.
10.  Improving education for aviation safety officers
The government will relocate and improve the Aeronautical Safety College, which has suffered from aging facilities and limited space, to enhance training of aviation safety officers in the future. At the same time, to keep pace with the introduction and development of the aeronautical satellite-based New Air Navigation System, the government will review training courses and curriculums for these officers and improve training facilities for them. Furthermore, the government will improve training systems to adapt to changes in the aviation environment, such as globalization and economic and social shifts.
11.  Securing the safety of foreign aircraft
For the purpose of securing the safety of foreign aircrafts entering Japan, the government is implementing on-site inspections on foreign aircrafts (ramp inspections) based on the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the Civil Aeronautics Act (Act No. 231 of 1952), and will expand the ramp inspections to include all air service operating countries and all carriers that come into Japan.
12.  Improving guidance on accident prevention of small aircraft
To prevent accidents involving small aircraft, the government will strengthen guidance on observation of all laws and relevant regulations, comprehensive education and training of small aircraft operators, and accurate understanding of meteorological conditions. The government will also advise parties involved in the increasingly popular pursuit of aerial recreations to prevent accidents, by working through relevant groups and organizations. Furthermore, for rescue planes in the event of a natural disaster, the government will work to improve measures to ensure their safe operation in congested airspaces.
13.  Promoting safety measures on aerial leisure
It is expected that the number of people participating in aerial leisure activities such as flying ultra light planes, paragliding, skydiving, flying gliders, and hot-air ballooning, will continue to increase in the years ahead. In view of this, the government will improve safety education through relevant organizations such as the Japan Aeronautic Association, and other related sports organizations.
14.  Improving safety standards for transportation of hazardous materials
As a result of developments in medical technology, the volume of radioactive materials being transported by air is increasing. The quantity of hazardous materials being transported by air is also increasing, and these materials are becoming more and more diverse, as developments in chemical engineering give rise to new hazardous materials. To deal with this issue, the ICAO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are improving safety standards relating to the transport of hazardous materials. In accordance with these international trends, the government will revise relevant standards as necessary.
In addition, the government will advise air transport companies on providing comprehensive education and training to workers involved in transporting hazardous materials.
15.  Improving aviation accident investigations
In order to contribute to prevention of aviation accidents by performing prompt and appropriate investigations into the causes of accidents and serious incidents, the government will try to enhance the quality of investigators by improving the training of investigators and actively exchanging information with overseas accident investigation bureaus, and also work to improve analysis ability by utilizing various investigation instruments.
16.  Improving meteorological information for air transport
The government will accurately understand any weather conditions or natural phenomena which could influence air transport safety, and make efforts to improve various qualities of aviation weather information, such as meteorological forecasts and warnings for airports, meteorological reports on airspaces, aviation forecast charts and volcanic ash advisories, and to ensure appropriate timely announcements and prompt conveyance of such information. Furthermore, facilities for observing weather conditions and volcanic activities will be constructed as necessary, and maintenance and improvement of those facilities will be promoted.
The government will work to improve aircraft safety by promoting safety measures aimed at improving technical standards, information collection and processing systems, and inspection systems.
18.  Improving technical standards for aircraft and equipment safety
To improve the safety of aircraft, the government will collect, analyze and provide information relating to the safety of Japanese aircraft, as well as safety assurance-related information obtained from foreign governments and foreign manufacturers. At the same time, the government will draw up improved safety standards to keep pace with technological advances, and investigate technology that can be used to improve safety.
19.  Collecting information on aircraft safety and improvement of processing systems
To deal with the increasing volume of air traffic, the government will promote measures to prevent failures in equipment and materials by improving the system to collect and process information relating to the safety of aircraft.
Information relating to aircraft safety is released to the public along with information on operation safety. The government will examine the use of diverse media and improvement of the infrastructure for publicizing information relating to aircraft safety.
20.  Improving aircraft inspection systems
The government will improve inspections of aircraft designs in type certification procedures for both domestically produced and imported aircraft. They will then improve aircraft inspection systems by guiding and supervising the private companies that check for conformity to standards on behalf of the national government.
In addition, the government will try to improve the quality of inspections by improving training for airworthiness engineers.
21.  Improving aircraft maintenance examination systems
To respond to the new entry of air transport companies and the diversification of the maintenance systems by contracting maintenance services, the government will improve their examination, guidance and supervision system for aircraft maintenance.
In addition, the government will try to enhance the quality of examinations by improving training for aircarrier airworthiness engineers.
22.  Improving measures for aging aircraft
The government will promote measures to deal with aging aircrafts, in view of problem cases with aircraft manufacturers and operators, and policy trends in other countries.
To deal promptly and effectively with air distress incidents and other aircraft accidents, the government will improve rescue and emergency service systems by promoting closer cooperation between relevant organizations.
24.  Improving search and rescue systems
To launch prompt and effective search and rescue operations when aircrafts are in distress or missing, the Rescue Co-ordination Center, a council formed by relevant administrative bodies, will work to improve activity planning, training, and information collection and processing systems, to deal efficiently with a wide variety of emergency situations. At the same time, it will improve liaison and cooperation by improving the performance of facilities.
25.  Improving fire-fighting and emergency medical systems
The government will work to improve fire-fighting systems at Class 1 (Narita International Airport, Chubu International Airport, Kansai International Airport and airports required for international routes) and Class 2 airports (airports required for major domestic routes) managed by the national government, in accordance with relevant international standards, through measures such as providing for chemical fire engines as needed. The government will also instruct the airport managers of the Narita International Airport, Chubu International Airport, Kansai International Airport and Class 2 and Class 3 airports (airports required for securing local air transport) managed by municipalities, to improve fire-fighting facilities by adopting necessary measures, as mentioned above.
Also, to improve emergency medical systems at airports, the government will proceed to provide appropriate medical equipment and materials according to annual plans. At the same time, they will improve cooperation with relevant medical institutions so that emergency medical activities can be conducted smoothly and effectively.
Furthermore, to provide adequate fire-fighting and emergency systems in municipalities close to airports, the government will instruct the relevant fire-fighting bodies to improve their facilities and take necessary measures. Also, to ensure that first aid treatment can be promptly delivered when needed, the government will encourage airport officers to attend first aid treatment seminars.
The government will strengthen support activities for victims who claim damages, and promote measures that take into account the feelings of the victims. Especially when a large-scale accident occurs, the police, hospitals, local authorities and private victims support organizations will work together to support victims.
The government will secure air traffic safety by promoting R&D on air traffic safety and study for clarifying the causes of air traffic accidents, and reflect their findings on safety measures promptly.
28.  Promoting research and development into air transport safety
The government will encourage independent administrative organizations and other testing and research institutes to conduct research and studies into; 1. Assessment of the capacity expansion and safety of airspace and air routes, 2. Capacity expansion of congested airports, 3. Improvement of safety and efficiency by preventive safety technology and new technologies, 4. The Satellite-based Augmentation System, 5. Air transport management methods to achieve more efficient use of airspace, 6. Civil engineering facilities of airports, such as runways for safer take-offs and landings, 7. Technology for improving passenger cabin safety by providing better protection in the event of an accident, and 8. Technology for detecting air turbulence and other abnormal conditions from aircraft. In addition, the government will promote comprehensive research and development efforts through closer liaison and cooperation between relevant testing and research institutions.
29.  Promoting comprehensive investigations into the causes of aviation accidents
To promptly and effectively determining the causes of aviation accidents and serious incidents, the government will 1. Improve flight record analysis technology, 2. Improve analysis technology using simulators, 3. Improve the aviation material analysis technology, and 4. Promote comprehensive study through the improvement of the accident report database, and reflect the findings on clarifying the causes. 
30. Establishing safety management systems and implementing continuous measures
In order to ensure the safety of public transportation by land, sea and air by disseminating safety awareness within organizations of public transportation operators and building a climate for safety, the government will obligate transportation operators of automobiles, railways, vessels and aircrafts to develop Safety Management Manuals that state the policies of business operations for ensuring transportation safety, organization control and communication on safety in various sectors, implementation of internal audits, and continual review and improvement of business operations, as well as to appoint Safety General Manager. By driving transportation operators to conduct top management-led autonomous and continual review and improvement of business operations for securing the safety of transportation through these measures, the government will encourage transportation operators to build a safety management system that involves every level of operator, from top management to the operational sector. At the same time, the government will introduce Evaluation of Transport Safety Management Posture by which the government will evaluate safety management postures at management level.
31. Developing technology to prevent accidents induced by human errors
Human machine systems will become increasingly advanced and complex in the future by the sophistication and density growth of transportation.
To prevent accidents caused by human errors, the government will not only introduce new advanced technological systems, but will also promote the development of technology to help persons operating public transportation to notice any hazardous conditions, and the development of technology to enable operation managers to understand the status of operation and provide appropriate support.