Dana Airline, a private commercial airline in Nigeria, skidded off the runway at the local wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, in Tuesday 23rd April 2024.
Although reports on the cause of the incident was still sketchy, eye witnesses say no casualty was recorded in the incident that occurred in the early hours of the day.
Although the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed that all 83 passengers and 6 crew members onboard the aircraft were successfully evacuated, the agency said the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had commenced its investigation into circumstances leading to the Dana Airline aircraft’s runway excursion.
A statement signed by Acting Director General of the NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, said, “The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wishes to inform the public that on 23rd April, 2024 at about 08:25, a Dana Airline aircraft was involved in a runway excursion occurrence.
“The Aircraft, an MD82 with registration marks 5SN-BKI, departed Abuja for Lagos with 83 passengers and 6 crew members onboard.
“Upon landing at MMIA, the Air Transport Controller [ATC] Tower observed at C4 that the Nosewheel had retracted and the nose of the aircraft collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway info the grassy area.
“Very importantly, all passengers and crew disembarked and were evacuated safely while Runway 18L was closed. In accordance with statutory procedures, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau [NSIB) has commenced its investigation into the occurrence.
“The NCAA reiterates its avowed commitment to a safe and secure aviation sector. In furtherance to this commitment, the Authority will be looking to implement the safety recommendations expected from the NSIB investigation while it carries out its own in-house safety assessment of the occurrence.
“The traveling public is hereby assured of NCAA’s unrelenting efforts in holding all operators and service providers in the sector to the highest international safety standards,” it said.
