Investigators have disclosed that the crew of a Dana Air Boeing MD-82 encountered a nose-gear fault warning as they approached the Lagos Airport, where the aircraft later skidded off the runway during landing.
On April 23, a Dana aircraft departing from Abuja experienced the runway incident upon landing in Lagos.
According to reports from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the cockpit alert illuminated, signaling a nose-gear issue during the approach to Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
In response, the crew conducted a fly-past to allow air traffic control to visually assess the condition of the nose gear. Despite efforts to troubleshoot and consult emergency procedures, the warning persisted.
Observations from the control tower indicated that the nose gear appeared extended during the fly-past.
Subsequently, the crew initiated a go-around, realigned for approach, and successfully landed on runway 18L.
Preliminary findings from the NSIB suggest that the ground spoilers failed to deploy automatically upon landing.
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Despite the captain’s description of the landing as “soft,” manual deployment of speed brakes and reverse thrust occurred before lowering the aircraft’s nose.
“At this point, the crew stated that severe vibration was accompanied by a loud noise from the nose-gear area,” the investigation reported.
As the aircraft decelerated to 80 knots, the nosegear collapsed, causing the captain to lose directional control.
The aircraft veered to the left, exiting the runway nearly 2,100 meters from the threshold. It continued through a grass verge, crossed a paved link taxiway, and came to a stop 2,343 meters from the threshold, about 36 meters from the runway centerline.
The weather conditions at the time included a 5-knot wind from the north, resulting in a tailwind for runway 18L, and the runway surface was damp.
After the engines were shut down, passengers were instructed to evacuate through the forward service door due to safety concerns on the side of the main entry door. All 89 occupants, including six crew members, escaped without injury.
The MD-82 (registration 5N-BKI) sustained damage to its lower forward fuselage skin, nose-gear doors and lights, with the galley drain deformed and an antenna broken.
The NSIB says it will continue to investigate the incident to determine the underlying causes and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
