Crash of a BAc 111-208AL in Kaduna

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-HTA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
051
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
66
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Kaduna Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On short final, the aircraft entered a rain squall and the pilots momentarily lost visual contact with the runway lights. The aircraft descended until it struck the runway surface and bounced. Out of control, it veered off runway to the right and came to rest. All 73 occupants were rescued (among them 13 were injured) while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue the approach after he lost visual contact with the runway lights, and failed to initiate a go-around procedure. The lack of visibility due to heavy rain falls was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a BAc 111-204AF in Sokoto

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-KBA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
179
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
53
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a poor flight and approach planning, the crew landed at the old Sokoto Airport. After touchdown, the pilots realized their mistake and attempted to take off but eventually decided to initiate an emergency braking procedure due to the presence of high tension cables at the end of the runway. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 57 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Poor flight and landing planning on part of the crew who completed the landing on the wrong airport. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Erroneous actions on part of the crew,
- Poor crew decisions,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Absence of crew cross checks,
- Lack of ATC assistance.

Crash of a Boeing 707-351C in Ilorin

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9G-RBO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ilorin - Ilorin
MSN:
18746
YOM:
1964
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Ilorin Airport, consisting of touch-and-go maneuvers. On final approach, during the last segment, the copilot inadvertently raised the landing gear. The aircraft landed on its belly, slid for few hundred metres and came to rest with both engines n°2 and 3 partially torn off. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Gear-up landing following an inadvertent gear retraction on final approach on part of the crew.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-201 in Eket

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1992 at 1056 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ARI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Eket
MSN:
8012
YOM:
1983
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
2819
Circumstances:
The Dornier 228 originated from Lagos (LOS) at 07:00 UTC. Destination was Eket. Enroute, the captain briefed his copilot that the wind was northerly at 2 knots. He decided to use runway 19. He also briefed that they would descend to the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) of 500 ft. and if they did not have the field in sight by then, they would carry out a missed approach, maintain runway heading and climb to 1,500 ft. From Lagos, they were cruising at 11,000 ft. and started the descent at about 77 nm from Port Harcourt, which was close to Eket. On clearance to 5000 ft by Port Harcourt Approach Control, the crew called Eket Control who descended them to 3,500 ft. At about 10 nm from Eket the NDB frequency was picked up and the crew informed Eket that they were leaving 3500ft for 1500. When the aircraft came overhead the NDB they shot the approach. On the outbound leg of 195 they turned 45° for a right procedure turn and still maintaining 1500ft. Flap 1 was selected with the speed lever set in the high RPM position. With the runway inbound on track 105 magnetic, the landing gear was selected in the down position and the aircraft was descended to 500ft. After 90 seconds into the final approach on runway 01, the co-pilot called out "runway-in-sight" but the captain thought the aircraft was high, so he announced he was overshooting, whereas, while giving evidence the co-pilot said she advised the overshoot when the ADF needle swung. Another approach was attempted. They came back to the same runway 01 to maintain the MDA and the runway was sighted from about 2 miles out at 400 feet height. The co-pilot thought the aeroplane was high and called for a missed approach. Then another landing attempt was made for runway 19. At about between 600 - 700 feet height above the approach path, the captain instructed his co-pilot "when you see the field, give me flaps 2, I am going to land". As soon as the co-pilot sighted the runway at about 2nm out, she selected flap 2. The captain descended for the field and while they came over the threshold, the speed was between 95 and 98 knots. Height above threshold was 300ft; the co-pilot felt that the aeroplane was high, but she thought that at flap 2 the aircraft was committed to land. This time the First Officer did not warn the captain though she felt that the aircraft was high. The captain said that he descended fast from 300ft with the target aim of touching down at about the 6th centre line marking from the threshold. After the touchdown, the captain applied reverse pitch but no effect of the deceleration was felt. He then moved the throttle levers to the maximum reverse position, yet there was no deceleration effect. The next action was to go on the brakes while the aircraft still had the rolling speed of about 80 knots. The captain felt that only the right brakes were effective because-the aeroplane skidded to the right; when there was no directional control, the captain said that he then used the opposite rudder for control. The commander was still fighting with the directional control when the aeroplane overran the end of the paved way at about 40 knots with the brakes still applied. The airplane sustained damage to the wheels and propellers. The fuselage was buckled just forward of the left wing leading-edge and at the fuselage/wing rear attachment point. Also the right hand side of the fuselage had bucklings at the forward section.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the failure of the crew to accord due considerations and proper planning to the prevailing weather conditions. This resulted in a long landing, which extended into the unsuccessful braking action. The contributory factor to the accident was the emergence of communication breakdown and non display of professional airmanship within the cockpit area. The crux of that discord is the company's recommendation to seat a trainee officer on the left seat for at least 100 flying hours. This decision was not verbally resisted by the senior trainee captain but the aura existed everywhere and this led to the animosity within the cockpit.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-54F in Kano

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9G-MKB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ostende - Kano
MSN:
45860
YOM:
1966
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Kano Airport, while in a flat attitude about 8 km from the runway threshold, the crew lowered the flaps when the aircraft lost height and struck trees. It descended into the ground, lost its undercarriage and slid for 150 metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames against trees. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a BAc 111-204AF in Port Harcourt

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-KBG
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
082
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
48522
Aircraft flight cycles:
70457
Circumstances:
Belly landed at Port Harcourt Airport and slid on runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 66 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. An unconfirmed report suggests that the aircraft bounced on landing. The captain then took over control of the copilot who was PIC. The flight engineer assumed the captain was initiating a go-around procedure and raised the landing gear.

Crash of a BAc 111-402AP in Sokoto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1991 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AOW
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Kano
MSN:
094
YOM:
1967
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
35860
Aircraft flight cycles:
39057
Circumstances:
En route from Lagos to Kano, the crew was informed that a landing at Kano Airport was impossible due to poor weather conditions. The crew diverted to Sokoto but weather was also poor over there so ATC instructed the crew to follow a holding pattern as the airport was closed to traffic. After few dozen minutes, the crew informed ATC about fuel shortage, reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft landed in an open field located 6 km east from Sokoto Airport, lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen meters before coming to rest. Four passengers were killed, 24 people were injured and 25 others escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 550 Citation II in Ashaka: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AMR
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bauchi - Ashaka
MSN:
550-0045
YOM:
1978
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Ashaka Airport in poor weather conditions, the crew apparently initiated a go-around procedure when the aircraft crashed short of runway threshold. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B in Lagos

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1990 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
5N-ATL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Port Harcourt
MSN:
534
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
20925
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 19L, at a speed of about 100 knots, the aircraft deviated from the centerline to the right. The pilot-in-command corrected with rudder but finally, the aircraft struck the right shoulder of the runway then veered off runway. It rolled in a grassy area and came to rest few dozen meters further. All 52 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair due to structural damages to the fuselage.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the right engine was not running properly during the takeoff roll, creating an asymmetric thrust and the aircraft to deviate from the centerline to the right. Investigations reported that the aircraft was subject to maintenance the days prior to the accident and modification were made to the fuel pump but nothing was entered in the airplane logbook. It was determined that the fuel pump overspeed governor had been set too low and a low power output at high TGT.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2F9 in Lagos

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ANX
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
22772
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
129
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a normal approach, the aircraft landed on a wet runway and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its nose gear and came to rest few dozen meters further. All 135 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.