Exposed: How dispatcher’s error caused flight diversion to Asaba Airport

Fresh facts emerged on Wednesday, November 29, on how a wrong code sent by one of the Flight Dispatchers in United Nigeria Airlines resulted in the diversion of a Lagos/Abuja -Flight NAU 0504 to Asaba Airport in Delta state.

Though the carrier had inadvertently cited poor destination weather as the reason for the safety infraction, an investigation by The Nation has revealed that the said Flight Dispatcher, who has been suspended indefinitely by United Nigeria Airlines entered the wrong code into the Dispatch document sent to aeronautical authorities.

Investigations revealed that the flight dispatcher entered into the dispatch document ABB, which is the code for Asaba International Airport, Delta, instead of ABV, which is the code for Abuja Airport.

Flight Plans are prepared by airlines and forwarded to the Aeronautical Information Services (AIS), Unit of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

Sources close to United Nigeria Airlines hinted that the said official has been issued a letter mandating him to go on suspension for the avoidable, yet huge embarrassment, his indiscretion has caused the entire travel industry.

The source said the official will remain suspended pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation into the safety infraction as mandated by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), are probing the incident.

But, the umbrella body of flight dispatchers in the country: the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN), has challenged United Nigeria Airlines on its action, saying both United Nigeria Airlines and Air Traffic Controllers attached to NAMA disregarded “Operational Control”, by not following what was filed by the dispatcher.

In a statement by FLIDAN’s Secretary General, Mrs Victoria Adegbe, said the airline’s operational control allows a pilot to generate his own operational flight plan, thereby taking full responsibility for the Dispatch Release is an outright breach of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR) Part 8.

Adegbe said: “The Flight Dispatcher followed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8-Operations; by filing a flight plan with Aeronautical Information Service, AIS which was transmitted to the Control Tower.

“Departure-Lagos. Destination- Abuja, First Alternate- Enugu, Second Alternate- Port Harcourt. Time of flight: 13:00   Flight Duration: 55mins Endurance: 6 hours. The weather folder given showed Abuja weather was ok.

“The Pilot called the Air Traffic Control (Tower) for clearance to depart to Asaba. The Tower granted the request against the legal flight plan submitted by the Flight Dispatcher.

“Both the Pilot and The ATC seem not to follow what was filed which by implication, meant that they disregarded “Operational Control ” of the Flight Dispatcher which empowers a 50 per cent  Joint and Equal Responsibility of the Safety of the flight to the Flight Dispatcher.

“The Airlines’ Operational control which allowed a pilot to generate his own Operational Flight Plan, OFP, thereby taking full responsibility for the Dispatch Release is an outright breach of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, NCAR Part 8

“The Airlines’ Operations Control further contravened the NCAR which states that an airline pilot shall take to the destination airport a copy of the Flight Plan, Dispatch Release and Load Manifest. By implication, if the pilot had the flight plan on him, he would have gotten his destination right, the Dispatch Release if it was with him summarises the departure and destination which was clearly disregarded.

“The ATC should not have granted a scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination that was not as filed by the Flight Dispatcher

“The Airline in a show of absolute disregard for Aviation Law went ahead to suspend the Flight Dispatcher who upheld the Licence issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and carried out his job as required by law.

“We call on the NCAA to beam a searchlight on the Operations Control of the Airline which has seized Operational Control from the Flight Dispatcher.

“The ATC might want to look into the regulations that govern granting clearance contrary to filed flight plan.”