LAGOS—A MAJOR air disaster was averted, yesterday, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, when an Abuja-bound Dana Air plane with 97 persons on board lost an engine to bird strike on take-off.

Trouble started for flight 9J995 at about 9:20am when on take-off on runway 18L of the airport, the aircraft’s left engine was hit by a bird, which caused a deafening bang that changed the running of the engine.

The unusual engine sound of the MD-83 aircraft forced people out of their offices, and the airport’s neighbours at Mafoluku out of their homes.

The bird’s attack caused a drag to the plane as it could hardly climb, but the pilot could not abort take-off because he had reached a point of no return.

The twin-engine aircraft managed to take-off eventually, with the ill-fated engine emitting big balls of fire and exploding at about 5,000ft above sea level.

The aircraft, however, managed to climb after the three mid-air explosions. Fire trucks of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, were immediately mobilized in anticipation of an emergency landing.

Some of the lucky passengers of the Dana Airline flight 9J 995 en-route Abuja from Lagos that suffered a bird strike shortly after take off but managed to make an emergency landing at MMIA, Lagos.

For almost 25 minutes, people’s apprehensions heightened, especially after the aircraft was expected to have returned to base before then, since it would be ill-advisable for the pilot to continue the flight to Abuja on one engine.

At exactly 9:45am, the pilot managed to bring the aircraft down on runway 18R, used for international operations, and was escorted by fire tenders to the tarmac at the new domestic terminal, MMA2, of the airport.

After taxiing to a stop, the passengers were promptly evacuated into another Dana Air plane for continuation of their journey.

Some passengers, however, opted out of the flight and requested for refunds.

Most of the passengers looked awe-stricken and kept thanking God for surviving what could have been a fatal crash. They appeared fagged out, though they had flown for just 25 minutes.

One of the passengers who managed to speak told Vanguard: “I felt many things while the trouble lasted; I am just on my way home. My wife warned me not to travel today, but I didn’t listen.”

Reacting to the development, Dana Air said in a statement: “Dana Air flight 9J995, en route Abuja from Lagos, suffered a bird strike shortly after take-off and, in line with the airline’s safety and service policy, the captain made an emergency landing at MMIA, Lagos.

“All 97 passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft safely, and the aircraft was taken to the hangar. Most of the passengers were booked on alternative Dana Air flight to Abuja, while a few who preferred a refund were given.”

Praise God! They made it safe!

bird strike is common occurence when planes take-off.

Good that this did not result in loss of life.

A ponder to NAA to ensure bird activities are limited around the MM airport area.

will they take action? No. this is Nigeria.

cmonsence:

LAGOS—A MAJOR air disaster was averted, yesterday, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, when an Abuja-bound Dana Air plane with 97 persons on board lost an engine to bird strike on take-off.

@ OP

The incident happened this morning,April 19 and not yesterday or are you posting from China??

Thank you otawa you just posted what i wanted to. Bird strike occured almost everyday globally.pilot are trained to handle it and planes are designed to withstand it.but trust lazy naija press to not research and hola miracle.

superboi:

Thank you otawa you just posted what i wanted to. Bird strike occured almost everyday globally.pilot are trained to handle it and planes are designed to withstand it.but trust lazy naija press to not research and hola miracle.

What are you driving @? that it was't a miracle?Geez,have you ever been on an a twin-engine airplane whose one engine bursts into flame on take off and you-re left at the mercy of a single engine?

In any case,there's no much difference between you and your so-called lazy naija press,cos you don't seem to have researched well;

EXPLOSIONS IN A BURNING AIRCRAFT ENGINE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT CRASH

I wont even bother myself with internaional examples,but do you know that the official report as to the crash of the Bellview air plane in Lisa was attributed to exploding engines set aflame by bird strike

A very near and lucky miss.

Raspuntin did my research charted with a pilot who was about to take off behind it and said the capt and his female fo handled calmly&professionally.the engine did not explode as some pressmen reported and am sure this stuff is all over the paper becos the minister was at the airport with all those press guys at that moment. This is a miracle yes,as much as waking up and sleeping or crossing the road is. Raspuntin bird strike at apprx "9000-13000ft"?,at nite?,near a thunder storm?(this bird na 4rm village?lol) Raspuntin theres no such report (as per bellview), the flight is classified a control flight into terrain as it two engines were runing(ntsb report)

superboi:

Raspuntin did my research charted with a pilot who was about to take off behind it and said the capt and his female fo handled calmly&professionally.the engine did not explode as some pressmen reported and am sure this stuff is all over the paper becos the minister was at the airport with all those press guys at that moment. This is a miracle yes,as much as waking up and sleeping or crossing the road is. Raspuntin bird strike at apprx "9000-13000ft"?,at nite?,near a thunder storm?(this bird na 4rm village?lol) Raspuntin theres no such report (as per bellview), the flight is classified a control flight into terrain as it two engines were runing(ntsb report)

did you post from a fone, ill like to understand what ure saying. could learn one or two things
can you make you post readable? thanks

@topic
Thank God!!
wetin dey worry these devilish birds? chei

i go dey watch out for flying birds now. witches and wizrds flying up and down

quote from: superboi,

Some passengers, however, opted out of the flight and requested for refunds.

Typical of Nigerians . . .

Tkb 417 yes it from my phone.what info do you want specifically?

rasputinn:

What are you driving @? that it was't a miracle?Geez,have you ever been on an a twin-engine airplane whose one engine bursts into flame on take off and you-re left at the mercy of a single engine?

This indeed was a miracle and we should all thank God that this nation is not thrown into mourning again.

superboi:

Tkb 417 yes it from my phone.what info do you want specifically?

are u saying it wasnt a bird strike? didnt get you clearly
and what did you get from the pilot you spoke to?

thanks

desgiezd:

This indeed was a miracle and we should all thank God that this nation is not thrown into mourning again.

Nigerians are simply over-religious . . . Look around and see the effect already . . .

Tkb 417 yesterday incident was a bird strike. It was the bellview crash which raspuntin referred to that i said wasn't a bird strike.@ kasovo that miracle mentality is the very reason we dont search for solution to problems or try to minimise hazards in our enviroment.i bet if that toyota pedal stuff was happening in naija we go just talk say na wicth de cause am. Before you guy call this a miracle please can someone define that word?

@ superboi

Do you know what brought down the US Airways plane on the Hudson? A bird strike.

Bird strikes are dangerous and thats that!

rasputinn:

@ OP

The incident happened this morning,April 19 and not yesterday or are you posting from China??

I wasnt posting from china,i was posting from your crib.

that was close

rasputinn:

What are you driving @? that it was't a miracle?Geez,have you ever been on an a twin-engine airplane whose one engine bursts into flame on take off and you-re left at the mercy of a single engine?

In any case,there's no much difference between you and your so-called lazy naija press,cos you don't seem to have researched well;

EXPLOSIONS IN A BURNING AIRCRAFT ENGINE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT CRASH

I wont even bother myself with internaional examples,but do you know that the official report as to the crash of the Bellview air plane in Lisa was attributed to exploding engines set aflame by bird strike

form what i've heard, watched, and read so far, a plane like that can actually be flown on one of its engines, but not as smoothly as if it were both working. besides, as long as the pilot shuts down the damaged engine, he can still bring it in for a safe landing on the other one, which i'm pretty sure this pilot did.