Investigation has revealed the cause of the crash-landing of a chartered aircraft whose passengers included the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu on Friday evening.
Investigations carried out by The Nation showed that the airport does not have the requisite Instrument Landing System (ILS) calibrated for flight operations for the aerodrome.
Investigations carried out by The Nation showed that the airport does not have the requisite Instrument Landing System (ILS) calibrated for flight operations for the aerodrome. It was gathered that industry experts are worried about the parlous state of air navigation equipment at airports across the country, describing it as a threat to air safety.
Confirming the state of facilities at Ibadan Airport, a senior official of NAMA said the aerodrome had no ILS.
Captain Musa Nuhu, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), underscored that a significant number of airport facilities fail to meet the minimum international standards.
Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, strongly criticized the National Airports Management Agency (NAMA) for its outdated and insufficient air navigation infrastructure. He expressed the Federal Government’s growing concern regarding the state of airport navigation equipment, with many pending contracts involving obsolete NAMA equipment facing potential cancellation.
In addition to suggesting that the aircraft accident might be linked to inadequate landing equipment provided by NAMA, Keyamo announced that the Federal Government has taken steps to enhance coordination among relevant agencies.
A preliminary report on the incident, released on Saturday, October 4, by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), revealed that the aircraft remained stranded in the runway 22 vicinity.
The report reads:
“At about 0825hrs of 03/11/2023, an aircraft with registration number 5N-AMM that conveyed the incumbent Minister of Power, AbdulWaheed Adebayo Adelabu, and his entourage crash-landed along runway 22 and skid off the runway into a nearby bush.
“The control tower reported on radio that he lost communication with the just landed aircraft and immediately called on the ARFFS, the AVSEC and other needed airport officials reported almost immediately to the scene.
“The 3 cabin crews and the 7 Passengers were all rescued from the damaged aircraft. All efforts to get details from the pilot proved abortive. Also at the scene were the NAF airport commandant and his team.
“As at the time of filing this report, the aircraft was still in the bush at runway 22 while the security personnel of both AVSEC, ARFFS, Airport Safety team and NAF team were on standby for cover.”
