• No co-pilot with Suntai
By UCHE USIM
Taraba State Governor, Dambaba Suntai was the last person rescued from the crashed Cessna 208 aircraft he piloted. An official of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), who participated in the Search and Rescue operations, said the governor was stuck on the cockpit at the crash site and required extra carefulness to bring him out.
“Othersm who sat behind him, were immediately evacuated, making him the last person to be rescued. He was stuck on the cockpit,” he said. Meanwhile, fresh facts have emerged as to what might have caused the crash.
According to a top official of the aviation ministry, the governor and his entourage allegedly disobeyed the flight rule of Yola Airport, which, at the moment, operates a sunrise to sunset arrangement, as it does not have night operations facilities. Consequently, the airport closes at about 6pm, but the governor and his team radioed Air Traffic Control in Yola that they will be arriving by 6.45pm.
This made the ATCs to await their arrival. Five minutes to the expected time of arrival, the ATCs lost contact with the Cessna airplane. “The control tower people became worried and they alerted the Airport Fire department and immediately, a Search and Rescue operation was initiated using the coordinates of when he last contacted the tower. He established contacts with tower five minutes to landing and thereafter nothing was heard from him. Under normal operations, he was not supposed to come in at that time.
He ought to have come in before 6pm but he radioed that he will arrive by 6.45pm; so the tower was expecting him, but never got here. The airplane went down some minutes to 7pm. By right, the airplane ought to have been closed but they had to wait for them,” the source said. The source further said Suntai had no co-pilot on board and having lost contact with tower means he likely had a technical hitch, though he never at any time said he was in distress.
The source also said the airplane took off from an unmanned airstrip in Jalingo, as neither navigational equipment of NAMA nor its staff were present at the place. “So, it calls to question how he has been taking off from an unmanned airspace in Jalingo and landing in Yola. So, who has been clearing him for takeoff from an airstrip without air traffic services,” he queried. Officials of the Accident Investigations Bureau (AIB) have taken over the investigation and cordoned off the crash site.
A source in AIB told Saturday Sun that the bureau would reconstruct what might have probably happened and also study the black boxes. The Cessna 208 is a single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft built in the United States by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers, with a single person crew, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver, it can seat up to fourteen passengers. The aircraft is also used for cargo feeder liner operations.
Its a cheering to note that the gov is a pilot in the first place. But its rather sad to hear what befell him and those in the plane with him. And from the story, its seems the sense of arrogance and impunity with which our leaders do things is the cause of the incident. If not he’ll not have disobeyed the instructions from the control room.
All the same, God grant him quick recovery.
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I thank God the BARAO governor survived the crash to enable him and his corrupt PDP party learn from his foolish mistake.
How did make such huge money as a pharmacist that made him acquired a jet as a Governor of one of the poorest States in Nigeria?
Tarabans are dieing of hunger due to abject poverty ravaging the country while their Governor is flying around in his jet, he deserves my pity simply because God forbids that you wish anybody dead. I wish him and others whose identities are unknown quick recovery.
My only prayer to God is to give us someone like J.J Rawlings of Ghana to come and clear these THIEVES in Nigeria from Gowon era till present time to enable us start afresh with good minded Leaders that would sacrifice all they have to bring joy to the homes of helpless Nigerians. Enough of this nonsense corruption under PDP controlled federal government.
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Taking him to abuja means he will be flown out but our hospital is just a shadow of itself.Other people that were with him can die. GOd safe the citizens of this country from the hand of our corrupt leaders.
P/s somebdy shd tell me y i shd wish him quick recovery,a man that not only using billions naira jet but also built an airstrikes 4 himself alone, drives alone without considering d unemployed pilots here & there, beggars all d street of Taraba, after they will say the federal money is not enough to take care of their citizens. But they have money to buy airplanes and fund boko haram. Meanwhile No roads, No water, No electricity, No good hospitals, No decent housing, No employment, No schools, ..p/s Fashola shd take note & be ready ban d airspace b/cos his fellow gov. is also a ‘reckless pilot not only okada riders’
grg
God,, i thank you for ur marvel protection.
YES! ALL THE COMMENT SHOWN THAT GOD WILL FIGHT AND PEACE WILL BECOME REAL.
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presence of selfishness in high places and existence of bad governance amongst our Nigerian so called political leaders. Let them repent order wise they will perish. Taraba governor and his likes i am sorry for you.
From all the comments since the accident happen, it shows that Nigerians has lost faith completely with the rulers because we do not have leaders.
This rulers should as a matter of urgency change there ways. Imagine Amechi of Rivers state buying a new plan for $50 million dollars just to fly around. My question is, are they ruling from the sky ? Nigerians do not pray for there rulers again to live rather we wish them dead. Too bad.
Sillyman Jelly October 27, 2012 at 8:19 am
This is why these things should be left to the professionals, how does a Governor fly himself is Nigeria short of pilots abi? If he wants to have fun why not under the guidance of a qualified instructor, I doubt very much if he even has 250hrs of flying proficiency. If it was an emergency then too bad. Quick recovery focus on looking after your people next time.
foolish ppl.hw much does a cessna plane cost, definitely not millions,we should all wish him well.you can get a cessna plane for 40 thousand pounds so it is no big deal to own one.
God will really fight for the masses, BOKO haram will one day deal with them all
Tony wat are you insinuating,well i dont have time of people like you becouse you lack knowlagde.As for the Governors of the Northern extraction were they not the people shouting,complaining and making noise that the Federal Allocation money giving to them by FG is too small and so FG should take the 30% of Oil revenue of the Niger Delta and add it to them now wat is happening right now.God have started exposing the Northern Governors one by one.Instead of the Governor of Taraba State using the little they claimed that FG gave them to better the lives of the poorest Northern people the Taraba Governor was busy flying arround North with the people’s money he stole to buy.That was why after many years of Northern rules this Country Nigeria they couldnt develop,employ and empower their citizens and statistics shows that North is the poorest region in Nigeria.Now people of the North hope you people have seen the people who have been milking you dry and subject you people to abject poverty so blame your Governors
WHERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE PLANE WITH THE STUPID CORRUPT GOV. HAVE THEY BEEN THROWN AWAY? WHAT IS THEY CONDITION NOW? I WISH THE THEM INCLUDING THE IDIOT GOV QUICK RECOVERY. TO ENABLE HIM LIVE HIS SHAMELESS LIFE.
Would have been nice to see a standing obituary of the rogue, unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable governor. It will look pretty.
At times like ds join ur hands togeda n pray fr their quick recovry. Nigerian leaders will neva learn. We need Rawlings episode in nigeria not individual disaster so dat transfer of corruption frm old quacks to younga generatn will cease
Happy he is alive to tell his story and learn the moral lessons involved.
Shameless and corrupt governor of one of the most poorest states in Nigeria. Who cares whether he,s dead or recover after all this idiot also don,t care for the well being of his people as well. For other governor that are on the same path like this, hope they can learn a lesson from this idiotic governor who lives large only at the expense of his people. May God continue to punish the corrupt ones in our society, and may God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.
I don’t knw wht 2 say, bt God should continue his gud work 2 expose al de bad leaders in these country nigeria
You people are busy insulting an innocent,more righteous thief,what of the accursed illiterate gov of plateau and his children the bandits that are ruining plateau? Suntai has no strike going on in taraba pls guys our gov has no helicop, but ghanians are our witnesses.
Takin suntai outside is blow to medical proffession in nigeria, it is the fear of death or abundce of resource that givs the anxaity to abroad for medication, death knws no germany,argrntina,ond india it coms at the destny time nd place..
Takin suntai outside is blow to medical proffession in nigeria, it is the fear of death or abundce of resource that givs the anxaity to abroad for medication, death knws no germany,argrntina,ond india it coms at the destny time nd place.. recover soonest hon. Suntai
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May the will of the Lord be done. Nigerians let’s shout Haleluya
What a pity! If that commentator think 40,000 pounds is small money, then give that amount to some African countries and you’ve turned their economy around 360 degrees. Do you know how many cottage industries that amount can set up in Taraba state? A good specialist hospital in African can be built in the state with that amount. Schools can be renovated and upgraded with that amount. The governor crashed the schools and hospitals and industries that could have been built with that amount. You know how many almajiris that amount would have dissuaded from joining boko haram? The governor would have started another trends among his colleagues. They would have all learnt how to fly airplanes. Am sure this incident will put fear in them now. I wish him quick recovery in Jesus name.
God, is up 2 u.
Gentle men and ladies,i like tell so called cessna 208 cost $2,022,450 eqivalent to 313.5million naria on exchange rate 155naria.and was first fly on 1984,built in USA.well he only know he get the plus financed unmanned airstrip
He will learned a big lesson ,there told him that the control tower will close by 6:00pm, but he insist
may god hv mercy on his bilvers;ad perich de corrpt one.
yeye govnor see ur head u never start
Sabi sabi de kill our people, you be governor you be pilot you sabi all thank you.
thank God there waz no loss of live. Our Govs shoud take note. buying private jet is the in thing now instead of putting food, clothing and shelter to the less priviledged. judgement is here.