Allied incident paralyses flight operations, flights resume at Abuja airport
- NSIB begins probe
- Stakeholders divided over call for second runway
- Nosewheel severed from aircraft, tyres burst on landing, heads for bush
For hours, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja remained closed following the skidding of Allied Air cargo plane said to be ferrying goods and money for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) skidded off the airport runway into a nearby bush.
The skidding off of the B737-800 cargo airplane caused extensive damage to the nose-wheel of the plane which severed off the aircraft in what appears to be a major incident.
Allied Air’s badly damaged nose wheel
On close examination, the front tyres which burst on landing could probably have led the aeroplane to roll out of the runway into a nearby bush.
Immediately after the incident, the Abuja airport was shut to air flight operations which led to the suspension of flight operations in and out of the aerodrome and one that kept passengers stranded in many airports across the country.
Flight operation has however resumed after the damaged aircraft was removed and the runway cleaned up.
This equally put a lot of strain on passengers whose flights were delayed and one that may likely lead to flight cancellations, especially to airports that do not have light landing facilities.
The Lagos airport was brimming with passengers as many travellers were seen inquiring when the damaged plane would be taken off the runway for flight operations to begin as many others headed back home.
An Allied Air Cargo aircraft, registration number 5N-JRT, experienced a runway excursion at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday morning at 10:05.
The incident occurred when the plane skidded off the runway. All five people on board were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
The passengers were taken to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) clinic for further medical checks.
The Airport Emergency Response Team and accident investigators were quickly dispatched to the scene to assess the situation.
FAAN’s spokesperson, Mrs Obiageli Orah, explained that the runway is currently being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible.
She urged the public to refrain from speculating about the incident until the preliminary report of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is released.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria expressed gratitude to the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience during this time.
Orah assured that the incident is currently under investigation, and further details will be provided as more information becomes available.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an investigation into the runway excursion involving a Boeing 737-400 (Cargo) aircraft with registration and nationality marks 5N-JRT, operated by Allied Air.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:06 AM local time on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The aircraft, operating as flight AJK206 from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, skidded off the right side of Runway 22 into the grass verge after landing.
“No fatalities or injuries to the crew or ground personnel have been reported. The aircraft sustained significant damage. Emergency response teams were promptly deployed to the scene to ensure the safety of all personnel and secure the site”, a statement by Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director, Public Affairs and family assistance said.
It said the NSIB has initiated an investigation to determine the causal and contributory factors that led to this incident.
“Our Go Team has been dispatched to the site to conduct an on-site assessment, recover relevant data, and interview involved parties. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.”, it added.
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had disclosed that an Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT skidded off Runway 22 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The rampant cases of aircraft skidding off the Abuja runway in recent times leading to the closure of the airport has necessitated a call for a second runway for Abuja airport like the Lagos airport which operates two runways.
There has been an age-long debate on the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport.
Some claimed a second runway in the airport would address the challenge of having to close the existing runway for hours whenever the President is using the airport or whenever there is an incident or accident.
Other stakeholders argue that the current one is greatly underutilised. They believe that the aviation sector has more pressing issues to address, such as insufficient infrastructure, outdated facilities, ineffective management practices, and a lack of policy implementation.
As a result, they argue that building a second runway should not be the country’s top priority at this time.
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