IT emerged on Tuesday that the recent crash of Cessna 208, a private jet piloted by Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State could have been prevented if he had heeded the professional advice of his hired pilot not to fly to Yola airport at sunset.

According to reports, the hired pilot had earlier warned the governor against flying to the airport when it was obvious that they could not meet with the visual flight mandatory for that type of aircraft which is not in the instrument flight category.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that this advice was allegedly jettisoned by Governor Suntai who was said to have immediately taken over the cockpit and embarked on the ill-fated journey with the said pilot refusing to join the flight because of the obvious risk.

Yola airport is not in the category of airports where flights can be operated for 24 hours because it is not well-equipped which makes it a no go area after 6.00 p.m.

Only Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt are on 24-hour flight operations.

According to the country's aviation policy, small jets like the Cessna plane Governor Suntai piloted on the day in question was only allowed to fly based on visuals from morning to 6.00 p.m. daily.

And once the sun sets, it is always difficult to fly smaller aircraft like the governor's plane.

The governor, who has since been flown to Germany for adequate treatment in view of the injury he sustained in the crash, obtained a private pilot licence from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, which allows him to fly himself.

The ill-fated plane which departed Jalingo, Taraba State, for Yola, Adamawa State, was reported to have lost contact with the Yola Control Tower (1720Z) and field in sight at 38 miles, estimating landing at 1730Z before crashing
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/50090-suntai-ignored-hired-pilots-warning-report

Moral Lesson: Never ignore warnings from people that knows best.

But wait oo! I finally made it (first to comment)

The Governor for go fly Paper-Kite

I thank God for the hired pilot for applying wisdom and not getting overwhelmed by the governor.
People! This is a lesson. When sent on a delicate mission, always apply discretion.

maybe he needs to attend a very crucial meeting or undertake an important assignment, but hw should have valued his life more than any other thing, i wish him quick recovery

I bet No night rating, CAT 1 airfield. 1720Z i.e 6:20pm local time, night is 15mins after sunset, Ignored professional advice. Result, incident report and probably license withdrawn.

val_dubem: Moral Lesson: Never ignore warnings from people that knows best.

But wait oo! I finally made it (first to comment)

Yeah! U R in heaven now kid!

well these kind of things happen...wishing him a quick recovery.

It's not a sin to be ignorant. But when you're so obstinate that you don't want to suppress your ignorance for proven enlightenment, that's when you're blameworthy.
I'm glad Suntai lived to learn his lesson, though bitterly. On his hospital bed now, I'm sure he'll be regretting not heeding the pilot's pro advice.
**My post is based on the assumption that the quoted news report is true. I don't trust the news by 100%**

What is this "first to comment thing about"? Niggy how old are you if I may ask
That thing is very annoying.

In as much as he ignored professional warning which is not too good, I want to say here that I still admire his courage and gut, to get himself a pilot license....after all its like buying a car and not knowing how to drive. You will forever be at the mercy of your driver!!!!

Curiosity nearly killed the cat

And do you know what? If he had piloted the plane to and fro successfully, he'd have said words like, "I know what I'm doing. Did you forget that I'm a trained pilot too?) or, "What do you know? Didn't I fly successfully afterall?"
That way, he would've mistaken sheer luck for expertise and made the pro pilot feel stupid.
BUT HE WASN'T JUST LUCKY.

NnamdiN: What is this "first to comment thing about"? Niggy how old are you if I may ask
That thing is very annoying.

Exactly. If only he hadn't added that childish trash, his starting words were superb.
But he chose to spoil those wise words by mixing them with otherwise ones.

Patdedon: Curiosity nearly killed the cat

Haba! Haba! Who was curious in the whole story? D'you know what curiosity is?
Just so you know, it's not curiosity. Rather, it's stubbornness or insolence.
And mind you, the "cat" didn't die. So, correcting your post, we have:
Insolence wounded the cat.

Lesson 2 all-Giv listening ears 2 dos even lower dan u because God culd also use dem 2 giv u @ d top words of wisdom dt'll save u in lyf. Dt applys 2 all spheres of lyf were u find urself as a leader. Never ever luk down on ur subordinates.

Wish him speedy recovery.

If true dn d Gov na STURBORN man. " Igboran san ju ebo ruru lo "

This is the summary of all that's wrong in Nigeria and a wake up call to everyone. The aircraft was the most important article to him not even the airport. This our top to bottom development will continue to consume us. It is only in Nigeria a tree grows from its leaves not its roots. Thats why you have mansions for lease without light or water, limousines without roads, gluttony without health-care, now private jets without airports.

The dumb guv. never thought it wise to give FAAN/NAMA a hand and instal navigation aids in the airport before purchasing his toy (or should I say school homework apparatus). And when he can't do all this just obey simple rules and regulation. No way. They are above the law.

I just pity him... maybe not. Afterall he's just proudly Nigerian.

am sure that hired pilot is not a nigerian...

Stupid journalist. That Cessna is a propeller plane, not a jet.
I don't know why any small private plane is now a 'private jet'.

wandeay: maybe he needs to attend a very crucial meeting or undertake an important assignment, but hw should have valued his life more than any other thing, i wish him quick recovery

Yes running home to have a meeting on how to share the daily loots

This was an accident and bread winners of many families are hurt- stop saying silly things here. Planes crash even in broad day light

The man should have heeded the advice of a professional or does he think that immunity will shed him from plane crash?

That newspaper report was trash, our journalists wish to thrive on sensationalism
even when they grossly misinform their gullible readers.
1. The airplane was a single engined propeller(not jet)Cessna 208 equipped to fly on instruments.
2. Yola airport was limited to daytime operations due unserviceability of the runway lights.
3. The crash was not as a consequence of landing at Yola airport, it occured somewhere remote from it.

swoosh: This was an accident and bread winners of many families are hurt- stop saying silly things here. Planes crash even in broad day light

Yes, they just crash like that, anyhow and anywhere for no reason.

texazzpete: Stupid journalist. That Cessna is a propeller plane, not a jet.
I don't know why any small private plane is now a 'private jet'.

The Journalist is right the Cessna 208 is jet powered .. Not every plane U see with propeller is piston driven, the Cessna 208 packs what is called a "turboprop" jet engine which is actually a powerful jet engine with added thrust coming from the propeller connected to rotating Jet compression turbineS..
Bless

Still watchinh in 3D

And that was how the SLS cbn gov reffuse to listen to expert on matters of banking and the economy

swoosh: This was an accident and bread winners of many families are hurt- stop saying silly things here. Planes crash even in broad day light

breadwinner my foot.......... Sure, plane crash occurs anytime t, but Why hire a professional in d 1st place when he could do it himself

Basic: It's not a sin to be ignorant. But when you're so obstinate that you don't want to suppress your ignorance for proven enlightenment, that's when you're blameworthy.
I'm glad Suntai lived to learn his lesson, though bitterly. On his hospital bed now, I'm sure he'll be regretting not heeding the pilot's pro advice.
**My post is based on the assumption that the quoted news report is true. I don't trust the news by 100%**

u dey fear........

He probably wanted to set a record....but unfortunately, he made another undesired record.
"first serving civillian governor in nigeria to crash land his plane"........ Am I wrong

The man is fighting for his life, and somehow this is the main issue?

supereagle: IT emerged on Tuesday that the recent crash of Cessna 208, a private jet piloted by Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State could have been prevented if he had heeded the professional advice of his hired pilot not to fly to Yola airport at sunset.

According to reports, the hired pilot had earlier warned the governor against flying to the airport when it was obvious that they could not meet with the visual flight mandatory for that type of aircraft which is not in the instrument flight category.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that this advice was allegedly jettisoned by Governor Suntai who was said to have immediately taken over the cockpit and embarked on the ill-fated journey with the said pilot refusing to join the flight because of the obvious risk.

Yola airport is not in the category of airports where flights can be operated for 24 hours because it is not well-equipped which makes it a no go area after 6.00 p.m.

Only Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt are on 24-hour flight operations.

According to the country's aviation policy, small jets like the Cessna plane Governor Suntai piloted on the day in question was only allowed to fly based on visuals from morning to 6.00 p.m. daily.

And once the sun sets, it is always difficult to fly smaller aircraft like the governor's plane.

The governor, who has since been flown to Germany for adequate treatment in view of the injury he sustained in the crash, obtained a private pilot licence from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, which allows him to fly himself.

The ill-fated plane which departed Jalingo, Taraba State, for Yola, Adamawa State, was reported to have lost contact with the Yola Control Tower (1720Z) and field in sight at 38 miles, estimating landing at 1730Z before crashing
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/50090-suntai-ignored-hired-pilots-warning-report

Wasn't it reported that his plane crashed at 5.30pm though?