The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, issued a recommendation on Saturday, urging the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to conduct thorough inspection of all Allied Air aircraft for potential mechanical and structural vulnerabilities.

This includes checking the Flap and Landing Gear systems.

The recommendation follows the preliminary findings of the bureau’s investigation into the Dec. 11, 2024, runway excursion of a freighter aircraft at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, runway 22.

The incident involved a Boeing 737-400 Freighter (registration 5N-JRT), operated by Allied Air Ltd.

The aircraft had arrived from Douala, Cameroon, earlier that day and was scheduled for multiple cargo sectors.

The report states that the flight crew members held valid and current licenses and were qualified to operate the aircraft.

Additionally, the aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, and there were no issues logged in its technical logbook.

The flight was a cargo revenue flight and was set to operate six sectors: Lagos-Abuja, Abuja-Sokoto, Sokoto-Abuja, Abuja-Yola, Yola-Abuja, and Abuja-Lagos.

The same flight crew was assigned to all sectors.

The accident occurred during the first sector—Lagos to Abuja and there was no cargo on board.

The flight crew stated that while on final approach, flap 30 was selected, but the flaps did not move to the commanded position and stopped at flap 15.

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Upon landing, the crew heard a bang from the aircraft’s right side as the wheels made contact with the runway.

The aircraft then veered right, and the crew struggled to maintain directional control.

The Right Main Landing Gear Assembly detached, and the engine number two nacelle scraped the runway surface until the aircraft veered off the centerline of runway 22, finally coming to a stop on the grass verge.

Debris was observed falling from the rear side of the aircraft’s undercarriage, prompting an immediate alert to the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) by the Abuja Tower.

A post-occurrence inspection found that the No.3 and No.4 main wheel tires had burst, though no evidence of a hard landing was found.

The aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder (FDR) disclosed that between November 1, 2024, and the date of the incident, the aircraft had performed 101 landings, with 85 of them involving flap 15.

Ongoing investigations are focusing on a detailed examination of the Right Main Landing Gear Assembly and the flap drive system, including components like transmission gearboxes, universal joints, ball nuts, flap tracks, and jackscrew actuators.

The report confirmed that all six occupants, including two passengers and four crew members, were safely deboarded without any reported injuries.

Further investigations are continuing to determine the full causes of the incident.

Crediblenewsng.com