The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority have raised fresh concerns over the distortion and loss of critical evidence following aviation incidents, warning that such practices could undermine safety and hinder efforts to prevent future crashes.
Speaking on Wednesday in Lagos at an Aviation Stakeholder Engagement Workshop themed “Preservation of Accident Investigation Evidence & Substance Use Among Aviation Personnel,” the Director-General of NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr, decried what he described as the persistent overwriting of vital flight data by some airlines and pilots.
Badeh warned that the practice, which involves the loss of crucial recordings from Cockpit Voice Recorders and Flight Data Recorders, popularly known as black boxes, continues to weaken accident investigations.
He said, “Let us speak about the preservation of critical evidence, particularly Cockpit Voice Recorders and Flight Data Recorders. These devices are the objective record of events in flight. We have all seen, in past incidents, how the untimely overwriting of these invaluable ‘black boxes’ can limit our ability to uncover root causes, learn the right lessons, and prevent recurrence.”
He further stressed that premature overwriting of such devices had, in previous incidents, denied investigators access to crucial data needed to determine what went wrong, leaving families of victims and the flying public without clear answers.
Citing the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig-CARs) 2022, Badeh emphasised that operators are legally required to preserve flight data immediately after any accident or serious incident.
He stated, “As clearly stated in Nig-CARs Part 7.8.1.3(b); Operation of Flight Recorders: ‘To preserve flight recorder records, flight recorders shall be deactivated upon completion of flight time following an accident or incident.’ These rules are explicit: evidence must be secured immediately.”
He added that strict adherence to these provisions would not only strengthen investigations but also “protect lives and build public trust in the aviation system.” Beyond data preservation, the NSIB boss raised alarm over substance use among aviation personnel, describing it as a growing safety risk that must not be ignored.
He reiterated that NCAA regulations strictly prohibit any crew member from operating an aircraft under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances, noting that even minimal impairment could have grave consequences.
Referring to the widely recognised “bottle-to-throttle” rule, Badeh explained that pilots and crew are barred from consuming alcohol within eight hours before a flight. He warned that the pilot-in-command holds ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all crew members are fit for duty before takeoff.
He expressed optimism that the workshop would help address emerging safety concerns, particularly around evidence preservation and substance abuse, while fostering stronger collaboration across the aviation industry.
On his part, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, described the overwriting of CVR and FDR data as unprofessional and unacceptable. Represented by the NCAA’s General Manager, Air Operator Certification and Surveillance, Ifeanyi Iteke, Najomo warned that strict sanctions await any operator or individual found culpable.
He said, “Safe background operations require that the authority implement its safety and oversight responsibilities accordingly, while the service providers ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, as this is a shared responsibility.
“Evidence-based investigations remain the only reliable way to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. From design stage to operation and maintenance, humans are involved at every level, and all personnel must be fit for duty.”
Also speaking, a former Managing Director of the United States National Transportation Safety Board, Dennis Jones, emphasised the importance of preserving accident scenes, noting that proper handling of evidence is critical to improving global aviation safety standards.
Jones noted that beyond regulatory compliance, preserving accident evidence is a moral obligation to victims and their families, as it provides answers and helps prevent similar tragedies.
