• Crew members undergo toxicology test
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said its officials have retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of the DANA Air MD 82 aircraft that veered off the runway into the grassy areas at the Lagos Airport.
The apex accident investigation body said it had carried out a toxicology test on the crew members of the flight to establish the circumstances that led to the incident.
NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, announced this yesterday in Lagos.
The agency spokesperson said the flight recorders would be taken to its laboratory in Abuja for data download.
She said a transcript from Air Traffic Control and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would also be included for forensic analysis and further investigation.
Commenting on the agency’s efforts to ascertain the cause of the incident, Mrs. Oladeji said NSIB’s team had measured the aircraft’s veering point from the runway to its final stop on the grass.
She said: “As of today, all stakeholders involved in the operation of this aircraft, including the manufacturer, are being notified for their comments to be included in our report.
“The NSIB investigation of this incident will examine all aspects, including the airworthiness status of the aircraft, operational policies, human factors, weather condition, health and mental status of the crew, aircraft maintenance records, and any previous incidents involving this aircraft’s landing gear system.
“In accordance with international aviation safety protocols, a preliminary report containing a summary of basic fact-finding about the incident will be released within 30 days.
“A final report with safety recommendations will be issued at the conclusion of the investigation.
“During the course of the investigation, NSIB will collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), as well as other relevant institutions and specialists to gather all necessary information, data, and evidence concerning the operation of the flight.”
Mrs. Oladeji said the investigation would identify any safety deficiencies and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
According to her, preliminary fact-finding by the NSIB revealed that: “The aircraft had a technical problem with its landing gear and experienced directional control problems after landing, which made it veer off the runway to the left and travel onto the grassy area near the Runway 18L Link 6 turn-off point.
“Thankfully, there are no reported fatalities or injuries.
“As a precautionary measure, Runway 18L at MMA was temporarily closed following the incident.
“A go-team has been dispatched to the incident scene and has begun inquiries. We will leave no stone unturned in examining all aspects surrounding the incident.”
“The objective of this investigation is to arrive at the cause of the incident and the factors that led to it, and to issue safety recommendations to deter reoccurrence.
“Protecting lives and maintaining public confidence in air travel is our utmost priority.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of travellers impacted by this incident as we work to investigate and report on the circumstances that led to today’s runway excursion.”
