Aviation
THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reopened Runway 18L/36R for flight operations at 19:58hrs on Tuesday following the DANA Air runway excursion incident.
This development follows the earlier closure of the runway on Tuesday morning due to an incident involving a Dana Air aircraft, with registration number 5N-BKI, which overshot the runway during its landing sequence.
Mrs. Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, FAAN, said this in a statement.
She said that Prompt actions were taken by FAANs emergency response team to evacuate and recover the aircraft from the site.
Subsequently, comprehensive clearing operations were conducted to ensure the runway was free of any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that could impede flight safety.
The FAAN Operations division and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have jointly conducted a thorough inspection of the runway surface and deemed it safe for the resumption of operations.
An appropriate Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued in this regard.
We acknowledge the area affected by the overshoot was significantly muddy. A concerted effort was made for the thorough and efficient cleaning of the area to facilitate the swift resumption of operations on Runway 18L/36R.
FAAN wishes to express its gratitude to the traveling public, our airline partners, and all stakeholders for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during the temporary closure. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this incident may have caused.
Ensuring the safety and security of our passengers, staff, and airport operations remains our top priority. FAAN is committed to providing a safe, secure, and efficient air transport environment for all users our
airports.
CAA Denies Dana Plane Crash-Land In Lagos
Meanwhile, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reacted to the reports making the rounds that an airplane operated by Dana Air crash-landed in Lagos at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Mike Achimugu denied that there was no crash-landing.
“The occurrence that affected a McDonald Douglas (MD-83) with registration 5N-BKI is not an accident. It is a runway excursion.”
“Officials of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, were on ground to investigate the incident.”
“Even the images would prove that it was a runway excursion. It is called a ‘serious incident’ and not even an accident. There was no crash landing. The statutory agency for investigating incidents like this is the NSIB and they are on ground.” Achimugu said
A runway excursion is when an aircraft veers off or overruns the runway.
NCAA, NSIB begin investigation into Dana Air incident
The Nigeria Civil AVIATION Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have begun an investigation into the airline’s safety procedures.
The Acting-Director General of (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, that the duo have commenced investigations into the incident.
Describing the incident, he said:
: “The Air Traffic Controller tower noticed that the nose wheel of the aircraft retracted, the nose of the aircraft collapsed, and the aircraft veered off the runway into the grassy area.”
The Dana Air flight, which departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, was carrying 83 passengers and six crew members. Fortunately, all occupants disembarked without injuries.
In a statement issued via its official account @DanaAir, Dana Air’s management acknowledged the incident and announced that the aircraft involved has been grounded for investigation.
The airline expressed gratitude to airport authorities and its crew for their swift response and assured passengers that safety remains its top priority.
F.A
April 24, 2024
Tags: Dana Air FAAN Runway
