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Crash of a Gulfstream GII in Jos: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1996 at 0736 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VR-BLJ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kaduna - Jos
MSN:
40
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an executive flight from Kaduna to Jos, carrying four crew members and eight passengers, among them Colonel Mohammed Wase. On approach to Jos Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to marginal weather conditions when the aircraft collided with a telecommunication antenna and crashed, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The following findings were reported:
- The antenna has been recently installed by the company Nitel in a prohibited area,
- The crew was unable to see and avoid the obstacles due to poor weather conditions,
- The aircraft was not properly aligned on the approach path due to a wrong calibration of the Jos VOR by 10°.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Lagos: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1995 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-65617
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kaduna - Lagos
MSN:
08068
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
24844
Aircraft flight cycles:
15740
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kaduna, the crew started the approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and strong winds. On short final, the wind changed to a tail component and became stronger. This caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway, about 1,000 metres past the runway threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck the concrete structure of a drainage ditch and came to rest 147 metres further, bursting into flames. 65 people were rescued while 15 passengers were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Poor quality in the organization of the meteorological support at Lagos airport, as a result of which the crew did not receive reliable information about the actual direction and force of the wind during the approach and landing procedure, which caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway;
- The presence of a layer of water on the runway, about which the crew was not informed prior to landing, which caused the aircraft to enter an aquaplaning mode and the loss of braking action efficiency;
- The failure of the crew to initiate a go-around procedure after he encountered poor weather conditions during the final stage of the approach and an erroneous estimation of the actual remaining length of the runway for the safe completion of the landing in case of heavy rainfall;
- Violation on part of the cabin crew requirements for the number and placement of flight attendants at landing, which led to unnoticed penetration of 15 passengers into the rear trunk and toilets after the plane crashed and their death in the event of a fire;
- Unsatisfactory organization of rescue operations at Lagos Airport.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Lagos: 159 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1992 at 1735 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NAF911
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lagos - Kaduna - Jos
MSN:
4624
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
151
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
159
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, two engines lost power simultaneously then failed. The crew elected to find a suitable area for an emergency landing when a third engine failed. The aircraft stalled, entered a nose down attitude and crashed in a swampy area near the airport. All 159 occupants were killed, among them military personnels from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Civilians were also among the passengers.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the engine failed because the fuel was contaminated with water and bacteria.

Crash of a BAe 125-700B in Kaduna: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AXP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Abuja - Kaduna
MSN:
257203
YOM:
1983
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was cleared to descent to 4,500 feet when the aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located 32 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was not determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- Lack of altitude awareness on part of the crew,
- Crew distraction,
- Poor judgment on part of the crew,
- Possible optical illusion or wrong perception on approach due to intensity of the approach lights.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Jos

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AAX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kaduna - Jos
MSN:
10218
YOM:
1963
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
12959
Aircraft flight cycles:
13133
Circumstances:
Apparently following a wrong approach configuration to runway 28, the aircraft was too high on the glide and landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and eventually collided with gravel piles. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and 34 occupants were injured, seven others were unhurt.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Kano: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kano – Kaduna
MSN:
443
YOM:
1964
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kano Airport, the float equipped aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all seven occupants, among them ex Minister Sanna Buker.