NCAA explains controversy created by unverified Media reports on 5N-BQG and 5N-BGN aircraft 

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has explained controversy surrounding the 5N-BQG and 5N-BGN aircraft registrations.

It all started with a report by Sahara Reporters questioning the airworthiness of the helicopter with registration marks 5N-BQG before its crash. According to their report, the aircraft was initially registered as 5N-BGN with Aero Contractors in 2004, then deregistered to Canada in 2009, and supposedly scrapped in September 2018 ¹. The big question is, how did it end up in Nigeria and re-registered as 5N-BQG?

In a statement signed by the Acting Director General of NCAA, Capt Chris Najamo on ‘STATUS OF 5N-BQG AND Benign AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION, the organization, explained that “Based on our records, the following items are stated here to correct the wrong information published by the Sahara reporters on the subject matter:
1. It is important to state that aircraft can be tracked not only by their registration marks but also by their Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN).The 5N-BQG S76C+Helicopter has its MSN as 760486 while the 5N-BGN S76C+ Helicopter has its MSN as 760468.
2.The S76C+ Helicopter with registration marks 5N-BGN and MSN:760468 was initially registered at the age of 7 Years on the 15th July, 2004 with Aero Contractors as the operator and Capital Aviation Services B.V. as the registered owner. The registration was re-issued on the 13th December, 2006when the ownership of the helicopter changed to RBS Aerospace Limited.
3.The S76C+ Helicopter with registration marks 5N-BGN and MSN:760468 was de-registered by Aero Contractors on the 18th February, 2009to Transport Canada.
4. The S76C+ Helicopter with registration marks 5N-BQG and MSN:760486 was initially registered at the age of 14 Years on the 10th DEC.2012 with Nestoil Plc as the registered operator and owner. The registration was re-issued on the 13th July, 2021 as a result of change of operator to OMNI-BLU Aviation LTD. and Ownership change to DANBA Associates LIMITED. A further amendment of the registration was done on the 30th of May,2022 when the ownership changed to EASTWIND AVIATION LOGISTICS SERVICES LIMITED while maintaining OMNI-BLU as the operator.
5.The final amendment to the registration was on the 27th of February,2024 when the operator of the S76C+ Helicopter with registration marks 5N-BQG and MSN: 760486 was changed to EASTWIND AVIATION LOGISTICS SERVICES LIMITED. By this action, EASTWIND AVIATION LOGISTICS SERVICES LIMITED became the registered operator and owner of the helicopter.”

Najamo further said that based on the available data from NCAA records, “it is clear that Sahara Reporters could not clearly differentiate the records of the recently crashed EASTWIND AVIATION LOGISTICS SERVICES LIMITED S76C+Helicopter with registration mark 5N-BQG and MSN: 760486 and the AERO CONTRACTORS DE-REGISTERED S76C+ Helicopter with registration marks 5N-BGN and MSN: 760468.”