News
01 FEB - 11 JAN -
06 FEB -
29 APR -
07 MAY -
09 MAY -
15 MAY -
20 MAY -
22 MAY -
30 JAN - Confusion over possible plane crash in Nigeria
13 MAR - Nigeria revokes licenses of IRS Airlines and Slok Airlines
30 MAR - Engine fire on takeoff causes grass fire at Kano
06 JUL - Airbus 330 collides with cows on landing at Port Harcourt
23 JUL - Lufthansa Airbus A.330 overruns runway at Lagos, Nigeria
13 OCT - Nigerian Shorts 360 suffers nosegear collapse on landing at Lagos
04 DEC - Nigerian CAA grounds Albarka Air, Fresh Air
14 DEC - Sosoliso Airlines grounded after crash
20 DEC - Nigeria grounds Bellview Airlines
17 JAN - Nigerian task force grounds EAS Airlines
06 FEB - EAS of Nigeria nog longer grounded
10 FEB - Nigeria grounds Kings Airline, Sudan Airways planes
03 SEP - Nigeria bans aged aircraft from hajj operations
02 NOV - Nigeria replaces aviation minister after crash
17 NOV - Nigerian president signs new aviation safety law
20 NOV - Planes of four Nigerian airlines grounded by government
20 DEC - Nigeria may sanction Sosoliso over alleged certificate forgery
30 APR - Ten Nigerian airlines meet re-capitalisation deadline
30 APR - Nigerian recapitalisation: licenses of seven airlines revoked
23 MAY - Nigerial airlines count losses to bird strike, as NCAA seeks co-ordinated action
02 OCT - Reports: Boeing 747 off-course on finals to Lagos- nearly hits building
14 OCT - Chanchangi Airlines grounded
08 MAY - Nigeria acts on Senate Committee on Aviation recommendations
17 JUN - Nigeria: World Bank approves $46.7m lifeline for aviation infrastructure
12 NOV - Nigeria to ban aircraft without ELT
29 MAY - Nigeria CAA downgrades Kaduna Airport due to inadequate fire services
01 FEB 2001
The Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission has ordered Nigerian aviation authorities to launch a fresh investigation into the 1996 crash of an ADC B727; Major Hamza Al-Mustapha told the commission that the crash was caused by a bomb that had been planted. (M2)
accident description
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has restated its ban on the use of mobile phones or any other communication gadget on board aircraft. In a statement NCAA said the ban was informed by the apparent and real danger which the use of such phones posed to air travellers. (AllAfrica.com) 06 FEB 2002
A Chanchangi Airlines Boeing 727 (5N-BNF?) made an emergency landing on Lagos Airport runway 19L following a hydraulic system failure. (This Day (Lagos)) 29 APR 2002
An emergency meeting of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) is billed to hold early this week, this consequent upon reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has finally endorsed the 22 years age limit for aircraft used by operators in Nigeria. (allAfrica.com) 07 MAY 2002
Freedom Air Boeing 727 5N-BCY carrying 53 occupants suffered brake problems causing the brakes to be overheated. The aircraft was evacuated using slides. (This Day/All Africa) 09 MAY 2002
Nigeria has grounded all BAC-1-11 jet aircraft operating in the country, after an aircraft of the same model crashed last week in Kano. The Minister of Aviation also told that all aircraft above 22 years would no longer be registered by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Owners of such aircraft have been given five years to phase them out, she added. (AllAfrica) 15 MAY 2002
Barely one week after the Nigeria government banned the use of BAC 1-11 aircraft, following a crash in Kano, the government has further banned airline operators who possess only one commercial aircraft in their fleet from operations in Nigeria. The Ministry of Aviation also streamlined the number of Aircraft Maintenance Organisations (AMOs) servicing air operators in Nigeria to 20. (Daily Trust) 20 MAY 2002
Testifying before Senate Committee on Aviation in Kano, the principal officer in charge of the airport control tower, said the BAC 1-11 which crashed May 4, used the full length of the runway (2600m) for takeoff, climbed to about 300-400 feet and crashed. (This Day) 22 MAY 2002
A legal action against the Nigerian Federal Government is in the offing as Airline Operators of Nigeria(AON) begins moves to seek redress over the 22-year age limit placed on all commercial aircraft designated for domestic operations and the suspension of all BAC 1-11 aircraft type following the May 4 accident in Kano. (This Day) 30 JAN 2004 Confusion over possible plane crash in Nigeria [to table of contents]
The Nigerian minister of Aviation denied media reports of a plane crash in the waters off Lagos. Eyewitnesses reported having seen a twin-engine plane crash into the sea, but no trace of wreckage has been found. Also, no operators have reported a missing plane. (This Day) 13 MAR 2004 Nigeria revokes licenses of IRS Airlines and Slok Airlines [to table of contents]
The Nigerian government revoked the operating licenses of Slok and IRS Airlines. Start-up airline Slok Airlines operated 4 Boeing 737-200 planes instead of the two that they were allowed to operate. An IRS Airlines plane recently destroyed ILS equipment at the Kaduna Airport while it was taking off for a flight to Jeddah during Hajj Operation. (The Guardian Lagos, This Day) 30 MAR 2005 Engine fire on takeoff causes grass fire at Kano [to table of contents]
An engine fire on a departeding Boeing 737 caused grass on the Kano Airport, Nigeria to catch fire. The resulting bush fire caused serious damage to the transformers and electrical cables serving runway 24. The Bellview Airlines B737 5N-BFN landed safely back at Kano without injury to the 96 passengers and five crew members. (Vanguard) 06 JUL 2005 Airbus 330 collides with cows on landing at Port Harcourt [to table of contents]
An Air France Airbus A.330 (F-GZCF) carrying 196 passengers collided with six cows on landing at Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Flight AF875 landed at 04:30 on a flight from Paris when a herd of cattle crossed the active runway 03/21. Six cows were killed in the incident. The airplane sustained some damage to the nose, causing the continuing flight to be cancelled. The airport was closed for eight hours. (This Day) 23 JUL 2005 Lufthansa Airbus A.330 overruns runway at Lagos, Nigeria [to table of contents]
A Lufthansa Airbus A.330-343X (D-AIKH) reportedly struck a pothole while landing on runway 18R. The nose gear tires are said to have burst as a result, causing the plane to leave the runway surface. The plane was operating flight LH564 from Frankfurt to Lagos and Accra. None of the 193 passengers were injured in the mishap. A Lufthansa repair team was sent to Nigeria to repair the damage. (The Guardian, This Day) 13 OCT 2005 Nigerian Shorts 360 suffers nosegear collapse on landing at Lagos [to table of contents]
An Associated Aviation Shorts 360 is reported to have suffered a nosegear collapse on landing at Lagos, Nigeria. The flight arrived from Benin and had to abort the first attempt to land in poor weather (heavy rainfall). During the second attempt the plane bounced and landed back on the runway, collapsing the nosegear. None of the 20 passengers and crew were injured. Runway 18L was closed for one hour. (This Day) 04 DEC 2005 Nigerian CAA grounds Albarka Air, Fresh Air [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has grounded operations of Albarka Air for non adherence to routine maintenance and suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), of Fresh Air, over alleged violation of Air Navigation Regulations (ANRs). This development follows some radical reforms in the aviation sector prominent among which is the approval of a round the clock terminal radar service for all airports in the country. Also, an air safety audit team from the ICAO, arrived Nigeria to carry out airworthiness and safety audit in the country. (This Day) 14 DEC 2005 Sosoliso Airlines grounded after crash [to table of contents]
Sosoliso Airlines has been grounded with immediate effect, by the Nigerian President. The action follows in the wake of the Sosoliso accident in Port Harcourt. He also said that all planes operating in Nigeria would be inspected in the next week and grounded if they were found to be defective in any way. (Reuters) 20 DEC 2005 Nigeria grounds Bellview Airlines [to table of contents]
Nigeria ordered privately owned Bellview Airlines, which lost a plane in a crash in October that killed 117 people, to halt all domestic and international flights. The decision was reportedly based on the interim report of the audit panel checking all aircraft owned by airlines operating in Nigeria for airworthiness. (Reuters, Vanguard) 17 JAN 2006 Nigerian task force grounds EAS Airlines [to table of contents]
All the four airplanes of Executive Airline Services (EAS) of Nigeria have been grounded over deficiencies discovered by the task force on the verification of airworthiness status of aircraft and operational competencies of commercial aircraft operators. EAS will only be allowed to resume operations upon evidence of rectification of the problems. EAS operates three Boeing 737 and one HS 125 aircraft. (Daily Independent) 06 FEB 2006 EAS of Nigeria nog longer grounded [to table of contents]
Executive Airline Services (EAS) of Nigeria is now allowed to operate flights to Jos and Abuja after being grounded for some two weeks. This followed the approval granted by the Ministerial Task Force on Verification of Airworthiness Status of Aircraft and Operational Competencies of Commercial Aircraft Operators in Nigeria. The airline is allowed to commence operations using only one of its aircraft, Boeing 737-200 5N-BEY. Other aircraft will be allowed after all deficiencies found have been rectified within specified deadline. (This Day) 10 FEB 2006 Nigeria grounds Kings Airline, Sudan Airways planes [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Kings Airlines pending the outcome of investigation. The CAA noticed that two of the management staff of Kings Airlines, the Quality Assurance Manager and Chief Engineer are no longer serving the airline in any capacity. In addition, procedures for reporting of failures, malfunctions and defects had also been violated. (This Day) 03 SEP 2006 Nigeria bans aged aircraft from hajj operations [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has issued guidelines concerning the forthcoming Hajj operations, banning the use of aged aircraft to fly Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The agency listed Boenig 747-100, 727, 737-100, 737-200, 707, DC-8, Tupolev 154, Yakovlev 42 and other inactive aircraft parked for extended periods and other older generation aircraft as planes that would not be allowed to operate the Hajj flights. NCAA added that aircraft to be used for the pilgrims’ airlift must not be due for major check within three months of commencement of the exercise, just as it made aid and medical kits mandatory for operating airlines. Also, the approved carriers must have TCAS-II, GPS and HF radio among other navigational aids on board. (Nigerian Tribune) 02 NOV 2006 Nigeria replaces aviation minister after crash [to table of contents]
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo replaced his aviation minister, four days after the accident of an ADC Airlines Boeing 737, killing 97 people. No reason was given for the reshuffle, in which Babalola Borishade was redeployed to head the Culture and Tourism Ministry, and the minister of culture and tourism, Femi Fani-Kayode, was moved to aviation. (Reuters) 17 NOV 2006 Nigerian president signs new aviation safety law [to table of contents]
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has signed into law a new Civil Aviation Act (2006). The Act which establishes the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) provides fresh guidelines for the aviation industry. The new law seeks to establish aviation safeguards, enforce safety guidelines, improve security checks, prescribe ministerial powers during emergencies, define offences that endanger safety and also enact penalties for violation. It also addresses compensation for passengers, regulates licencing and permits of air transport particularly concerning eligibility, suspension and revocation. (This Day) 20 NOV 2006 Planes of four Nigerian airlines grounded by government [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Federal Government suspended the Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) of Sosoliso and Fresh Air. One aircraft each from Space World and Fresh Air respectively were grounded as a result of technical problems uncovered in the aircraft by NCAA inspectors.The measure would lead to a complete global re-certification of all the airlines in the country. (This Day) 20 DEC 2006 Nigeria may sanction Sosoliso over alleged certificate forgery [to table of contents]
The Nigerian federal government said it might institute a criminal prosecution against Sosoliso Airlines if the report from DGAC France indicting the airline of alleged safety certificate forgery were found to be true. A Sosoliso DC-9 was ferried to France for maintenance at EAS Industries. There it was discovered that the airplane had four unapproved parts with with falsified `Authorised Release Certificate` FAA Form 8130-3. (Daily Trust) 30 APR 2007 Ten Nigerian airlines meet re-capitalisation deadline [to table of contents]
Ten Nigerian airlines may have successfully met the recapitalisation deadline which deadline expires April 30. The airlines that succeeded were Chanchangi, Aero Contractors, Arik, Bellview, Virgin Nigeria, Overland, Associated Airlines, Capital and three others. A.o. Sosoliso and Aviation Development Company (ADC) did not make it. Both were grounded since October 2006 following their inability to pay stipulated compensation to the families of passengers who died in accidents involving their airlines. (Nigerian Tribune) 30 APR 2007 Nigerian recapitalisation: licenses of seven airlines revoked [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Federal Government announced the withdrawal of operating licences (AOC`s) of seven airlines that failed to meet the requirements and re-certified 13 others. The banned airlines were Aviation Development Company (ADC), Sosoliso Airlines, Fresh Airlines, Albarka Airlines, Chrome Airlines, Dasab Airlines and Space World Airlines. The recapitalised airlines include Aero Contractors Airlines, Afrijet Airlines, Allied Airlines, Associated Airlines, Bellview Airlines, Chanchangi Airlines, Dornier Aviation Nigeria Limited, NICON Airways, IRS Airlines, Overland Airways, Air Midwest, Arik Airlines and Virgin Nigeria. The threshold of the capitalisation which was set at N500 million for flight operations within Nigeria; N1 billion for flight operations within the African continent as well as Mecca and Jerusalem and; N2 billion for airlines with international operations. (This Day) 23 MAY 2007 Nigerial airlines count losses to bird strike, as NCAA seeks co-ordinated action [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is seeking co-ordinated action against bird strikes. Aerocontractors, in the last three months, spent no less than N1.36 billion to effect repairs of damage to engines caused by bird strike. Virgin Nigeria has suffered 12 bird strike incidents in 2007 alone, causing $2 million in repair costs. Director-General of the NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, listed ways the problem could be tackled, including the need to appoint a responsible officer at each of the nation`s airports; provide them with adequate resources; cut grasses in and around airports and eliminate farmlands/food sources from airports’ vicinities. According to Demuren, efforts should also be geared at keeping drains clean; cleaning up rubbish; scaring birds with falcons, dogs, pyrotechnics etc., as well as trapping or killing persistent pests. (Vanguard) 02 OCT 2007 Reports: Boeing 747 off-course on finals to Lagos- nearly hits building [to table of contents]
Press reports indicate that an Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo plane deviated from the approach path while on finals to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The airplane, arriving from Dubai, was said to have passed the newly commissioned terminal building at extremely low height. The crew carried out a missed approach and landed safely on runway 18R. NAMA managing director, Captain Ado Sanusi witnessed the incident and assured that the agency had started making a preliminary investigation into the incident, which happened at 12:30. Weather at 13:00 local time was reported as: DNMM 021200Z 00000KT 1500 HZ BKN010 FEW020CB 26/24 Q1013 TEMPO 5000=. (This Day, Xinhua) 14 OCT 2007 Chanchangi Airlines grounded [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded Chanchangi Airlines, following the reduction of the aircraft in the airline`s fleet to one. This was as a result of the fire that damaged one of the engines of the airline`s Boeing 727 operating on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route. It is against Nigerian aviation rules for an airline to operate with only one aircraft. (Nigerian Tribune) 08 MAY 2008 Nigeria acts on Senate Committee on Aviation recommendations [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Senate Committee on Aviation presented recommendations on aviation safety in Nigeria. The Senate has approved an investigation into the disbursement and utilisation of N19.5 billion intervention fund released by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration in 2006 for the rehabilitation and development of infrastructure in the aviation sector. The Senate also resolved that the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should be empowered with a legislation to remove grounded serviceable aircraft in the nation's airports which constitute danger to air travellers. The Senate said the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should hasten the installation of radar communication equipment and other high level facilities at all airports to enhance safety in the nation's airspace. It also stated that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should encourage local airlines to replace their old aircraft with modern ones. The Upper House resolved that NAMA, NCAA, Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) should "as a matter of urgency put in place a well-structured and implementable pension and gratuity policy for their staff. "The Federal Government should urgently come out with a strategic master plan for the development and growth of Aviation Industry. The master plan should cover physical development of Nigerian airports to avoid more aviation disasters in the country," the Senate further resolved. (This Day) 17 JUN 2008 Nigeria: World Bank approves $46.7m lifeline for aviation infrastructure [to table of contents]
The World Bank has approved a $46.7 million lifeline for the upgrading of aviation infrastructure at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT). Speaking in Lagos, the Senior Transport Specialist Africa Transport (AFTTR), Mr. Pierre Pozzo Di Borgo, assured that the execution of all infrastructural projects at the nation's airports would move faster in the next one month. Borgo, who spoke during a meeting with the Managing Director of the FAAN, further said that the project would be completed before 2011. The project development objectives include improving the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety standards. (Leadership) 12 NOV 2008 Nigeria to ban aircraft without ELT [to table of contents]
The Nigerian Federal Government will by January 1, 2009 ban aircraft that operate without Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). Similarly government has directed that no aircraft will be registered or granted certificate of airworthiness without installing the device. The decision was made known in Abuja by authorities of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) at a meeting of stakeholders called by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to review the search and rescue operation during the accident of a Beechcraft 1900, which disappeared over Obudu in Cross River State, on March 15, 2008. (This Day) 29 MAY 2009 Nigeria CAA downgrades Kaduna Airport due to inadequate fire services [to table of contents]
Following the brief closure of Kaduna Airport(KAD) two days earlier due to inadequate fire services cover, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) downgraded the airport and restricted aircraft movement to the airport. Critical aircraft that are allowed to operate to the airport shall not exceed the size of HS-125-300 category aircraft. Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, said that the action was taken due to inadequate fire cover at the Kaduna airport, stressing that the Agency had no option than to downgrade the airport’s status of fire service from category seven to category three. (This Day)
