Date:	Sunday 29 October 2006
Time:	11:30
Type:	Boeing 737-2B7
Owner/operator:	ADC Airlines
Registration:	5N-BFK
MSN:	22891/988
Year of manufacture:	1983
Total airframe hrs:	56411 hours
Cycles:	44465 flights
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 96 / Occupants: 105
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Abuja International Airport (ABV) -   Nigeria
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Abuja International Airport (ABV/DNAA)
Destination airport:	Sokoto Airport (SKO/DNSO)
Investigating agency:	AIB Nigeria
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Boeing 737-200 passenger plane, registered 5N-BFK, was destroyed when it crashed near Abuja International Airport (ABV), Nigeria. There were 100 passengers on board and five crew members. Eight passengers and one crew member survived the accident.
ADC Airlines Flight 53 departed Lagos (LOS) on a scheduled domestic flight to Sokoto (SKO) with an intermediate stop at Abuja (ABV). At Abuja at 11:14 local time, the crew of the aircraft requested start-up clearance. This was given along with the prevailing weather information. At 11:21, the crew requested clearance to taxi to the holding point and a wind check; both were given. Over the following six minutes Abuja Tower gave a series of six wind reports, including a statement emphasizing the gusty nature of the wind. A thunderstorm was approaching the airport and weather was worsening. At 11:26, the crew of flight 53 requested clearance for immediate takeoff, and the controller re-emphasized the deteriorating weather condition and gave latest wind check, which they acknowledged.
Immediately after takeoff from runway 22, the Boeing 737 entered into a headwind -shift to-tailwind windshear, which significantly affected the aerodynamic performance of the airplane.
The Pilot Flying responded to the windshear by adding a small amount of power and by pulling back on the control column causing a significant pitch attitude change.
The Pilot-not-flying responded to the windshear by calling for the Pilot Flying to pull up. The airplane then entered into a full aerodynamic stall followed by a roll to the left of over 90 degrees and steep descent into the ground. The aircraft was pitched to an attitude that resulted in the temporary disruption of airflow to and momentary loss of power in both engines. The airplane broke up and caught fire in a corn field.

CAUSAL FACTOR:
The pilot's decision to take-off in known adverse weather conditions and failure to execute the proper windshear recovery procedure resulted in operating the aircraft outside the safe flight regime, causing the aircraft to stall very close to the ground from which recovery was not possible.
CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS:
(1) Inability of the flight crew to apply windshear recovery procedures and the use of inappropriate equipment for windshear recovery procedure during simulator recurrrecncy. Lack of company Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for flight operations in adverse weather conditions.
(2) The coordination of responsibilities between the pilot-flying (PF) and pilot not flying(PNF) during their encounter with adverse weather situation was inconsistent with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the duties of the pilot-flying (PF) and pilot not flying (PNF) resulting in the inadequate control of the aircraft.

08:00 UTC / 09:00 local time:
DNAA 290800Z 00000KT CAVOK 27/24 Q1012 NOSIG=

10:00 UTC / 11:00 local time:
DNAA 291000Z 27006KT 9999 BKN012 30/24 Q1011 NOSIG=

13:00 UTC / 14:00 local time:
DNAA 291300Z 00000KT 9999 FEW010 FEW020CB BKN100 25/22 Q1009 NOSIG=

14:00 UTC / 15:00 local time:
DNAA 291400Z 00000KT 9999 FEW010 FEW020CB BKN100 26/23 Q1008 TEMPO 06022G35KT 5000 TS=

SKYbrary 
100 Feared Killed in ADC Air Crash (This Day 29-10-2006)
FG Suspends ADC Operating Licence (This Day 31-10-2006)

photo (c) AAIB Nigeria; Abuja International Airport (ABV); October 2006

photo (c) AAIB Nigeria; Abuja International Airport (ABV); October 2006

photo (c) AAIB Nigeria; Abuja International Airport (ABV); October 2006

photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; ?; March 2004

photo (c) Werner Fischdick; Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS); 21 July 2001

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