Enugu Air Runway Incident: NSIB Report Flags Safety Lapses at Benin Airport

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has identified multiple safety deficiencies at Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, following the runway overrun involving an Enugu Air aircraft in July.

The findings are contained in the Bureau’s preliminary report on the July 23 incident, which has prompted four immediate safety recommendations to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Under the recommendations, the NSIB asked the NCAA to ensure that FAAN removes the fixed structures of a decommissioned localizer installation located at the end of Runway 05.

The Bureau also recommended that the NCAA ensure the control tower is positioned to provide an unrestricted view of all movement areas of the aerodrome, while FAAN was asked to provide a suitable control tower location for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to ensure unrestricted visibility of the movement areas.

NiMet, on its part, was directed to restore and maintain the weather information display equipment provided for operational use at the Benin control tower and ensure that current meteorological information is reliably available to Air Traffic Services for timely dissemination to flight crews.

The recommendations followed the July 23 accident involving an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft, registration 5N-ENR, operated by Enugu Air Limited.

The aircraft was operating scheduled passenger flight ENU4264 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Benin when it landed on Runway 05 and subsequently overran the runway, entering the unpaved area beyond the runway end.

It struck approach-lighting installations and two fixed concrete structures associated with the decommissioned localizer installation. The impact caused the landing-gear assemblies to break and separate from the aircraft.

All 63 passengers and five crew members evacuated safely without injury, while no post-impact fire was recorded.

The preliminary findings also showed that weather conditions deteriorated during the aircraft’s arrival, with moderate rain and reduced visibility reported before landing.

According to the report, Air Traffic Control advised the crew that the approach path to Runway 23 appeared better than that to Runway 05. The crew acknowledged the information but continued with the RNAV approach to Runway 05.

ATC also informed the crew during the landing clearance that the runway surface was wet. However, the communication did not include a Runway Condition Report or Runway Condition Code.

The report further revealed that the aircraft’s autobrake system was not working and that the crew had stated during the approach briefing that manual braking would be used for landing.

Flight Data Recorder information showed a tailwind component during the final approach and landing.

The aircraft crossed the Runway 05 threshold at a recorded radio altitude of about 93.5 feet and touched down approximately 1,641.5 metres from the runway threshold.

The FDR subsequently recorded increased brake pressure and ground-spoiler activation, while post-occurrence examination found the thrust-reverser assemblies in a deployed condition.

The NSIB, however, stressed that the findings are preliminary and subject to further review and analysis.

The Bureau said further investigation would examine the runway condition, implementation of the Global Reporting Format and Runway Condition Report, as well as the collection, dissemination and use of meteorological and runway-condition information.

It will also conduct further examination of the wreckage, landing-gear collapse and separation mechanisms, ground marks, impact sequence and runway-end infrastructure.

The investigation will further review the flight crew’s training, experience, operational decision-making and applicable Enugu Air procedures.

The NSIB said its investigation was being conducted solely for the prevention of accidents and incidents and was not intended to apportion blame or liability.