The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued an official response to a recent Sahara Reporters article questioning the registration history and airworthiness of the helicopter involved in a recent crash in Nigeria, registered as 5N-BQG.
Sahara Reporters claimed this helicopter was initially registered in Nigeria in 2004 under the registration 5N-BGN, before being deregistered to Canada in 2009 and ultimately scrapped in 2018. The report then questioned how the same aircraft could reappear in Nigeria under the new registration, 5N-BQG.
In a statement released today, the Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Najomo, addressed these concerns and clarified the NCAA’s position.
According to Najomo, aircraft are tracked through unique Manufacturer Serial Numbers (MSNs) in addition to registration numbers, which can change over time but do not affect the identity of an aircraft.
He explained that the helicopter involved in the recent crash, identified by MSN 760486 and registered as 5N-BQG, is a completely different aircraft from the 5N-BGN model discussed in the article, which has MSN 760468.
Najomo provided detailed histories for both aircraft to clear up any confusion. He stated that 5N-BGN, initially registered in Nigeria in 2004 under Aero Contractors with MSN 760468, was deregistered in 2009 and transferred to Transport Canada, after which it was ultimately scrapped.
In contrast, 5N-BQG, the helicopter that recently crashed, was registered in Nigeria in 2012 under Nestoil Plc and has since undergone multiple ownership and operator changes, all properly documented by the NCAA. Most recently, in February 2024, the registration of 5N-BQG was updated to reflect Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited as both the operator and registered owner.
The NCAA stressed that these records confirm that the aircraft with registration 5N-BQG was distinct from 5N-BGN and in full regulatory compliance leading up to the crash, noting further that the Sahara Reporters article may have mistakenly conflated the records due to the similarities in the model type but overlooked the unique serial numbers, which clarify the history of each aircraft.
Najomo reassured the public of the NCAA’s commitment to transparency and safety in Nigerian aviation, underscoring the agency’s diligence in maintaining comprehensive records for all aircraft in its jurisdiction.
He concluded by affirming that the NCAA’s records verify the airworthiness compliance of 5N-BQG, countering the misleading claims raised in the Sahara Reporters publication.
