by Dolapo Adelana
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Monday blamed the 2012 crash of a Dana Airlines aircraft on the failure of both engines as well as failure of the pilot to take the appropriate decision to land on the nearest air field.
The Boeing MD-83 aircraft, with registration 5N-RAM, which was coming from Abuja, crashed in the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos on June 3, 2012, claiming about 159 lives.
The Commissioner, AIB, Mr. Akin Olateru, said investigations revealed that the aircraft’s first engine lost power 17 minutes into the flight from Abuja, and the second engine lost its power on approaching Lagos.
He said, “The probable causal factors were: engine number one lost power 17 minutes into the flight, and thereafter on final approach, engine number two lost power and failed to respond to throttle movement on demand for increased power to sustain the aircraft in its flight configuration.
“There was inappropriate omission of the use of the checklist, and the crew’s inability to appreciate the severity of the power-related problem, and their subsequent failure to land at the nearest suitable airfield as well as lack of situation awareness, inappropriate decision-making, and poor airmanship.”
Olateru said following the investigations, eight safety recommendations were made to the manufacturer of the engine, Pratt and Whitney, as well as Dana Airlines, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
He added, “The safety recommendations previously made in the preliminary report published on September 5, 2012 were four wherein three were targeted at Dana Airlines and all were accepted and closed.
“One was to the NCAA, accepted and closed. There were four safety recommendations made in the published reports, one of which is to the FAA targeting Pratt & Whitney, the engine manufacturer; one to Dana Airlines; one to the NCAA, with three safety recommendations in one; and one to NAMA on quality assurance management.”
The AIB also released the reports on accidents involving OAS Helicopters Limited’s Ecuruiel A350B2 helicopter with registration number 5NBKA at Oke-Oba Hill, Ikonifin, Osun State, on July 29, 2011; involving the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security with registration 5N-BKS at the Benin airport on July 5, 2012; and another one involving Bristow Helicopters’ Sikorsky S-92 chopper with registration number 5N-BOA at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on February 27, 2013.
While reacting to the report, Dana Air said it had implemented the recommendations of the Bureau.
In a statement signed by its Media and Communications Manager, Kingsley Ezenwa, the airline said, “We wish to also state that Dana Air swung into action immediately the interim safety recommendations were released in 2013; and as an airline strictly committed to the safety and comfort of its guests, we implemented all the recommendations same year as released by the AIB.”
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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