An Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) report has revealed that the Bell 206-B3 helicopter with registration marks 5N-BW, which crashed in the Ikeja, Lagos state on August 28 downed because of inadequate fuel in its tank.
According to the 15-page report released by AIB on Monday, initial findings include that the helicopter had a valid certificate of airworthiness and was topped to full-tank capacity on August 27 after which a 20-minute test-flight was conducted.
The investigation is still ongoing, the accident agency said.
AIB’s report also noted that the helicopter had no fuel jettisoning capacity although eyewitnesses had told Channels Television that the pilot released fuel from above, before the crash.
The report added that the ill-fated aircraft had an endurance of three hours and 15 minutes and a flight time of two hours and 45 minutes.
The aircraft, on August 28, flew for almost three hours and crashed with no fuel left in its tanks.
