AIB affirms Air Peace had tyre burst, hands over probe to NCAA

• Says plane’s FDR, CVR download revealed tyre burst

Amid denial by the management of Air Peace that its airplane had a ‘punctured’ tyre and not a burst after landing at the Lagos airport, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) today reaffirmed that indeed, the aircraft had a burst tyre.

The agency in a statement made available to journalists stated that, “Initial findings made by the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) following a download of the aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) revealed that the aircraft experienced a burst tyre during taxing”.

Spokesman for the agency, Tunji Oketunbi said, “We refer to the occurrence involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BUQ, operated by Air Peace Ltd, which occurred at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday, March 8, 2021”.

“As the occurrence falls under the category of incident, AIB-N has therefore ceded the investigation to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Further inquiries on this occurrence should be addressed to the NCAA forthwith”.

The AIB had on Wednesday said the aircraft, with 127 passengers and six crew members onboard was en-route Lagos from Abuja, when the plane had a burst tyre on Runway 18R of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and taxied to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) to park.

The agency further stated that there was no injury or fatality, stressing that as the investigating agency, “AIB needs and hereby solicits for your assistance”.

“We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clip, relevant evidence, or information any members of the public may have of the accident; that can assist us with this investigation”.

But in a swift reaction the airline denied that one of it aircraft had a burst tyre on landing on the domestic runway of Murtala Mohammed airport on Monday 8th March, 2021.

According to the airline, “Reports insinuating that our aircraft, a B737 with registration number 5N-BUQ, had a tyre burst on landing in Lagos”, is not true.

“They insist that, the aircraft safely landed at the International Wing of the airport and while taxing to the Domestic Wing, had a tyre puncture which cause is yet to be ascertained.

“The incident, which occurred at about 12 minutes of taxing and very close to the Domestic Wing, was duly reported to the authorities. Passengers disembarked seamlessly and the incident is currently being investigated as statutorily required”.

“We, therefore, take exception to reports implying that the aircraft had a tyre burst on landing, as this is conveying a wrong impression about the airline to the flying public. If the tyre had burst on landing, the aircraft would not have moved 2 km from the International Wing to the Domestic Wing”.

Wole Shadare