The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified misinformation regarding the airworthiness of a helicopter that crashed in Port Harcourt last Friday. In a statement, Acting Director-General Captain Chris Najomo responded to reports from an online outlet, stating that the helicopter in question had never been scrapped.
The NCAA addressed a report by Sahara Reporters that suggested the helicopter, registered as 5N-BQG, was previously deregistered and presumed scrapped. The NCAA refuted these claims, providing detailed records to clarify the situation. Captain Najomo noted that aircraft can be tracked not only by registration marks but also by their Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN). For instance, the helicopter 5N-BQG has an MSN of 760486, while the previously mentioned 5N-BGN has an MSN of 760468.
The NCAA provided a timeline for both helicopters. The 5N-BGN was registered with Aero Contractors in 2004 and later deregistered to Transport Canada in 2009. The 5N-BQG, on the other hand, was registered on December 10, 2012, with Nestoil Plc as the operator and owner. It underwent ownership changes and re-registrations in subsequent years, with the latest ownership recorded in May 2022.
The NCAA’s statement aims to set the record straight and assure the public of the helicopter’s airworthiness prior to the crash.