The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) releases Dana Air 5N-BKI preliminary report on the runway excursion. Initial findings indicate that the aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, and the flight crew was properly licensed and certified.
Dana Air’s Abuja to Lagos flight, with registration 5N-BKI, experienced a serious incident on April 23, 2024. The aircraft veered off Runway 18L/36R at Murtala Muhammed Airport, causing slight damage. Investigators found the incident caused distress to the lower forward skin, broken NLG lights, a deformed galley drain, and damaged antenna.
The 64-year-old Venezuelan captain has 22,232 hours of flying time, including 5,828 hours on the MD-82 series. His Air Transport Pilot License, Medical Certificate, Instrument Rating, and Proficiency Check were all up to date. The 22-year-old Nigerian first officer also had valid documentation.
During final approach to runway 18L, the pilot requested landing gear lowering. The co-pilot complied but noticed NLG indicator showing red.The flight crew attempted to fix this by raising and lowering the gear again, but the NLG light remained red. They then followed the emergency procedure for the landing gear, but the light still stayed red.
At 09:23, they informed the tower of their intention to go around and try again. During the go-around, they did a low pass over the airport so the air traffic controller could visually check the NLG. The controller responded, “It appears down,” so the crew requested to attempt another landing.
At 09:25, they prepared for another approach to runway 18L, and Approach Control cleared them to land. However, as they lowered the flaps, a landing gear warning light came on and stayed on until they touched down. They landed softly at 09:38. During the landing roll, when the plane was slowing down, they deployed speed brakes and thrust reversers. As they did this, they felt severe vibrations and heard a loud noise from the NLG area. Dana Air 5N-BKI preliminary report
At 80 knots, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in the plane losing control and veering off the runway. The aircraft stopped 2,343 meters from the start of the runway and 36 meters from the centerline.
The NSIB states it will continue to analyze flight recorder data to understand the full circumstances of the incident.
