Nigerian Air Force Super Puma damage

One of the Nigerian Air Force’s Super Puma helicopters was badly damaged in a crash on Friday and four occupants slightly injured after the aircraft experienced hydraulic failure. An Air Force statement said that, “A Super Puma Helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on training mission in Lagos at about 10:00 a.m. this morning returning to the apron after the completion of the training exercise suffered severe damage due to hydraulic failure while on taxi to the Hanger. There was no casualty recorded. However, the main rotor debris caused damage to some ground equipment. Consequently, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu has ordered immediate investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident.”

The incident happened at Lagos-Murtal Mohammed International Airport. This Day reports that the two pilots and two passengers received only minor injuries and that a post-crash fire was quickly extinguished.  The Nigerian Air Force flies around half a dozen Super Pumas. A number were recently upgraded in Romania. Some have been seen flying with new 22-tube rocket pods.