Eight escape unhurt as aircraft landing gear collapses

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Eight persons escaped death on Sunday after a FlyBird aircraft was involved in a landing incident at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State, prompting an investigation by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.

The aircraft, a Hawker 800XP operated by FlyBird Aircraft Management Services Limited, was on a non-scheduled domestic passenger flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to Kano when the incident occurred.

FlyBird Aircraft Management Services Limited, in a statement, confirmed that the aircraft experienced an operational incident on arrival in Kano. The company stated that the flight crew adhered strictly to established safety and operational procedures, successfully bringing the aircraft to a stop and ensuring the safe evacuation of all occupants.

“All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were recorded,” the statement said. The company added that the aircraft has been secured and the incident formally reported to the relevant aviation authorities, noting that a detailed technical inspection is ongoing in line with regulatory requirements.

Reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, confirmed the incident and disclosed that a formal investigation has commenced. According to her, the aircraft, bearing nationality and registration marks 5N-ISB, departed Abuja at about 9:20 a.m. on Sunday.

The accident investigators added that, contrary to popular claims that 11 persons were involved in the incident, only eight persons were onboard the aircraft, comprising two cockpit crew members, one cabin crew member, and five passengers.

She explained that during the approach into Kano, the flight crew reported an anomaly with the landing gear indication and requested multiple low passes over the runway to enable air traffic controllers to visually confirm the landing gear position.

“Kano Tower confirmed on each low pass that all three landing gears appeared fully extended. The aircraft was subsequently positioned for landing on Runway 06 and touched down at about 10:34 hours local time. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed,” Oladeji said.

She confirmed that all eight occupants disembarked safely without injuries. Upon notification of the occurrence, Oladeji said the NSIB activated its Go-Team and commenced investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“NSIB investigators will examine the aircraft systems, operational procedures, maintenance records, and crew actions to determine the circumstances that led to the occurrence,” she said.

She assured the public that the investigation is not aimed at apportioning blame or liability but at identifying safety issues and preventing future occurrences, adding that further updates would be provided as the investigation progresses.

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