Photo: African Business Travel News
The preliminary reports released today by Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on the on-going investigation into accidents involving airplanes belonging to Nestor Oil, Delta and Dana Airlines were caused by runway flooding, human and mechanical errors.
According to AIB, the reports made available to African Business Travel News (ABTN), through its spokesperson, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, contained factual information on the three occurrences and not their probable causes as investigations are still ongoing.
The Bureau said reports were those of the preliminary on-going investigation into the serious incidents involving Delta Air Airbus A330-223 aircraft with registration N858NW, which occurred after take-off from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on February 13, 2018, the accident involving the Dana Air MD – 83 marked 5N-SRI, that overran the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport on February 20, 2018 and the accident involving a Gulfstream G200 aircraft with registration number 5N-BTF belonging to Nest Oil, which occurred at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on 25th January, 2018.
AIB said the reports include information gathered from witness statements and a preliminary inspection of the aircraft and the accident site.
On the Delta A330-223 aircraft, according to AIB, the schedule flight DAL55, operated with an Airbus A330-223 aircraft with registration N858NW belonging to Delta Air Lines Inc. departed Lagos, Nigeria, for Atlanta, United States of America with 221 passengers and 13 crew on board made an air return few minutes after take-off following a fire warning on one of the engines.
The reports had it that after the aircraft landed at about 2259hrs and stopped on runway 18R operatives of Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) reported observing fire on one of the engines and extinguished it. Even as they claimed that Passengers were evacuated using the emergency slides on the right side of the aircraft; it added that only one passenger sustained serious injury while 11 suffered minor injuries.
“Initial findings by AIB indicated that the flight crew were certified and qualified to conduct the flight in accordance with applicable FAA regulations, Number One engine fire warning came on about a minute after take-off, while the crew at 2252.25hrs contacted ATC and declared emergency,” said the reports.
The report added that the aircraft landed at about 2259hrs and stopped on runway 18R, where the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service first reported observing smoke, and fire on the Number One engine.
AIB also reported that there was evidence of fire within the engine cowling even as the two fire extinguishers on the engine were discharged.
While the bureau said investigation is still ongoing on the accident, it added that it may include engine examination, material testing for the fuel manifolds, engine oil and hydraulic lines, inspection of fuel manifolds for crack and inspection of fuel nozzle braze joints for leaks.
On Dana Air MD-83, the AIB reports stated, “the Dana Air MD-83, which took off from Abuja had an uneventful flight to Port Harcourt and was cleared to land by the Air Traffic Control (ATC). The crew reported that the runway had experienced recent rain before arrival and after touched down looked and felt contaminated with flood of water that did not drain well.”
Other findings included the fact that after the aircraft came to a complete stop, emergency evacuation was carried out using only the left forward main door and the escape slide on this door did not deploy just as the Public Address System (PAS) did not work.
The bureau also reported that the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service arrived during the evacuation and all persons onboard were evacuated unhurt.
On the Nestor Oil Gulfstream 200 aircraft in Abuja airport, AIB reported that it was notified at 1528hrs by Abuja Air Traffic Control (ATC) on Thursday, January 25, 2018 of an accident involving a Gulfstream 200 (G200) with registration marking 5N-BTF, which took off from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos (DNMM) at 1428hrs operating a chartered flight service to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport; Abuja (DNAA) with four passengers and three crew onboard.
It reported that the departure, cruise and approach to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport were uneventful.
Nonetheless, it said, “Subsequently, 5N-BTF was cleared to land runway 22. The reported wind by the tower was 070°/07knots. At 1518hrs, the aircraft landed slightly left of the runway centre line, skidding left to right until eventually the aircraft finally swivel on the right shoulder of the runway where it came to a complete stop on a Magnetic Heading of 160o with the right main landing gear strut detached from its main attachment point. All persons on board disembarked unhurt.”
Commenting on the release of the reports, the Commissioner of AIB, Engr. Akin Olateru reiterated the commitment of Bureau to release reports promptly to enhance safety.
“We are seriously committed to releasing investigation reports on time. This is one way to ensure that such occurrences are prevented from repeating themselves and conform with the purpose of accident investigation,” he said.
