Accident investigation Bureau (AIB-N) has re-categorised the tyre issue involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft operated by Air Peace Limited incident and referred it to Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) for investigation.
This was contained in a media statement made available to africanbusinesstravel.com.ng by the AIB-N’s spokesman Tunji Oketunbi, today.
Though AIB-N statement insisted the aircraft suffered a burst tyre, the accident investigating agency, however rescinded on its earlier decision, categorising the tyre glitch as serious incident after information collected from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) stated otherwise.
“We refer to the occurrence involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BUQ, operated by Air Peace Ltd, which occurred at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday, March 8, 2021
“Initial findings made by the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) following a download of the aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) revealed that the aircraft experienced a burst tyre during taxing.
“As the occurence falls under the category of incident, AIB-N has therefore ceded the investigation to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Further enquiries on this occurence should be addressed to the NCAA forthwith
It would be recalled that AIB-N had earlier in a statement referred to the tyre incident as a serious one which it would begin investigation into.
“Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria has been notified and commenced investigation into a serious incident involving a Boeing 737-300 with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N-BUQ operated by Air Peace Airline, which occurred around 9:31pm (Local Time) on 8th March, 2021.
Continued, AIB said, “the aircraft, with 127 passengers and six crew members onboard was en-route Lagos from Abuja. The aircraft had a burst tyre on landing on Runway 18R of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria and taxied to GAT to park.”
However, reacting to AIB-N’s statement, the management of Air Peace Limited said it took exception to the reports which claimed that the aircraft had a tyre burst on landing. It added that the report conveyed a wrong impression about the airline to the flying public.
It insisted tha if the tyre had burst on landing, the aircraft would not have moved two kilometers from the International Wing to the Domestic Wing.
It explained, “the aircraft safely landed at the International Wing of the airport and while taxing to the Domestic Wing, had a tyre puncture which cause is yet to be ascertained.
“The incident, which occurred at about 12 minutes of taxing and very close to the Domestic Wing, was duly reported to the authorities.
“Passengers disembarked seamlessly and the incident is currently being investigated as statutorily required.”
