NATCA Warns Dispatchers against Pre-empting NCAA’s Investigations on UNA’s Flight Diversion

Chinedu Eze

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has warned the Flight Dispatcher Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN) against making allegations that would impede the investigations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) into the flight diversion that occurred last Sunday, involving a United Airlines Flight NUA 0504 which departed Lagos to Abuja but was diverted to the Asaba Airport.

The NCAA, Monday, said it had commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the flight diversion to Asaba instead of Abuja.

But FLIDAN, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Victoria Adegbe, said that it followed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8-Operations by filing a flight plan with the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) which was transmitted to the Control Tower.

It further said the weather folder given showed Abuja weather was okay and that the pilot called the Air Traffic Control Tower for clearance to depart to Asaba which the tower granted against the legal flight plan submitted by the flight dispatcher.

FlIDAN said the ATC should not have granted a scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination that was not as filed by the flight dispatcher and urged the ATC to look into the regulations that govern granting clearance contrary to filed flight plan.

“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 ATC should not have granted a scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination that was not as filed by the flight dispatcher,” FLIDAN said.

However, responding to FLIDAN’s statement, the National President of NATCA, Mr. Yomi Agoro, said that FLIDAN is ignorant of the fact that a flight plan is subject to amendment.

He said NATCA would not respond to the allegations but would wait for the outcome of the investigation by the NCAA.

“They are ignorant of this fact: Are they aware that a flight plan is subject to amendment? The investigation is on course. Let us not preempt the exercise. They have exposed their conduct and at the appropriate time, NATCA will speak,” he said.