By Sade Williams
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have begun investigation into the runway excursion involving a Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft at Lagos airport on Tuesday.
In two separate statements issued by both Agencies, they assured passengers of safety while traveling.
The NCAA reiterated its commitment to a safe and secure aviation sector, adding that in furtherance to this commitment, the Authority will be looking to implement the safety recommendations expected from the NSIB investigation while it carries out its own in-house safety assessment of the occurrence.
The NSIB urged the public to remain patient as the investigation progresses. Regular updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
“We have commenced an investigation to determine the full circumstances surrounding the runway excursion event involving Dana Airline MD-82 aircraft with registration marking 5N-BKI,” stated Captain Alex Badeh Jr., Director General of the NSIB.
“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 Bureau added that the investigation team has retrieved the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, which will be taken to its Laboratory for data download.
“Crew members have been interviewed and undergone toxicology tests. 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.’, it noted.
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, NSIB said, 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, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, as well as other relevant institutions and specialists to gather all necessary information, data, and evidence concerning the operation of the flight.
This investigation aims to identify any safety deficiencies and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. 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,” the Director General added. “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.”, it added.
