Military Aircraft in Chikangawa Crash Had No Black Box, Kaupa Tells Inquiry

Minister of Defence Feston Kaupa has told the parliamentary inquiry into the Chikangawa plane crash that the military aircraft involved in the accident was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder, commonly known as a black box.

Responding to questions from members of the inquiry, Kaupa said military aircraft are not required to carry black boxes under existing aviation regulations.

“According to the reports I have seen, there was no black box, considering that military aircraft are not required to have one according to the Chicago Convention. However, I cannot independently or personally verify this because I was not there,” Kaupa told the committee.

Despite the absence of a black box, the Defence Minister said the circumstances surrounding the crash still require thorough investigation to establish what led to the accident.

The parliamentary inquiry is examining the events surrounding the Chikangawa plane crash as well as the broader systems governing military aviation safety, regulation and oversight.

The findings of the inquiry are expected to help determine whether existing procedures and safety measures within military aviation are adequate and identify any areas requiring reform.