Investigators have disclosed that the crew of a Dana Air Boeing MD-82, which skidded off the runway during landing at Lagos Airport, received a nose-gear fault warning during their approach.
The incident occurred on April 23 when a Dana aircraft, originating from Abuja, skidded off the runway upon landing in Lagos.
According to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the crew noticed a cockpit warning light indicating a nose-gear issue as they neared the airport. In response, the crew conducted a fly-past to enable air traffic control to visually inspect the status of the nose gear.
Despite attempting to cycle the landing gear and following an emergency checklist, the warning light remained on. Observations from the control tower during the fly-past suggested that the nose gear was extended. After completing the fly-past, the crew executed a go-around, realigned with the approach, and landed on runway 18L.
Preliminary NSIB findings reveal that the ground spoilers did not deploy automatically upon landing. The captain, describing the landing as “soft,” manually deployed the speed brakes and engaged reverse thrust 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,” reported the investigation.
As the aircraft slowed to 80 knots, the nose gear collapsed, causing the captain to lose directional control. The aircraft veered left, exiting the runway approximately 2,100 meters from the threshold, crossing a grass verge and a paved link taxiway, before coming to a stop 2,343 meters from the threshold, about 36 meters from the runway centerline.
Weather conditions at the time included a 5-knot wind from the north, resulting in a tailwind for runway 18L, and a damp runway surface.
Following engine shutdown, 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, evacuated safely without injuries.
The MD-82 aircraft (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 has announced that it will continue to investigate the incident to determine the underlying causes and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
