that was close, definitely thank God. One piece of good news at least!

Plane skids off runway in Port Harcourt, 48 Passengers escape death

By Ibanga Isine, Port Harcourt, Published: Saturday, 13 Mar 2010







No fewer than 48 passengers on board a Nigeria Airforce plane escaped death when the aircraft skidded off the Port Harcourt International Airport runway on Friday.


However, about 10 passengers were said to have sustained injuries eyewitnesses in what many described as a near disaster at the airport.


Saturday Punch gathered that the passengers‘ close shave with death occurred during an emergency mock exercise carried out by the Nigeria Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.


The airspace was closed for two hours as a result of the incident; a development that left many air travellers stranded.


It was learnt that some of the passengers were enraged by the delay at the airport and were only consoled when they learned about the near crash of a plane at the Port Harcourt Airport.


Speaking on the incident, spokesperson of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Victor Asira, told our correspondent that moments after the aircraft, Airforce 950 G888 series landed on the runway, it skidded into the bush.


Asira disclosed that the aircraft had 48 passengers on board when the incident, which he described as unfortunate, happened.


He added that officials of National Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria and the fire service crew were waiting for the safe landing of the aircraft so as to begin the mock emergency rescue exercise.


”People were waiting so that when it (the aircraft) gets down, it can stop abruptly on the runway so that people can rush down to the rescued in a mock manner, but then it skidded off the runway.


“People sustained injuries, but there was no death. I don‘t know what led to it to the plane skidding into the bush. I am not the pilot. All I know is that we were expecting it to come down, because it is a mock exercise,” Asira stressed.


Also the Head, Search and Rescue Operation, Mr. Yomi Bankole, who refused to speak on the cause of the incident, only said that the Nigeria Airforce would conduct a full investigation on the likely cause of the incident.


However, passengers, who were injured as a result of the incident during were immediately rushed to a hospital within Port Harcourt metropolis.

http://punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100313522475

thank God nobody died!

Air Force Plane Crash landed, bad omen, that shows that Nigerian Air force pilots were not properly trained. What will happen in a case of external aggression ? Food for thought

supereagle:

Air Force Plane Crash landed, bad omen, that shows that Nigerian Air force pilots were not properly trained. What will happen in a case of external aggression ? Food for thought

Runway excursions take place all over the world for a variety of reasons ranging from bad weather or visibility on final approach, to water on the runway, brake failure, or thrust reverser deployment issues, so it is a wrong assumption to declare that the Port Harcourt incident was the result of pilot error.

The Nigerian airforce has some of the worlds most experienced and skilled pilots who honed their flying skills in a part of the world renowned for challenging, violently stormy weather - West Africa.

@ Jakumo,

Well said.

yeah thank God nobody died.but then after listening to the report one could see that a lots has to be done in the aspect of resue team operators in our airports as after about 5-10 mins they are still to gain access inside a plane that crashed right there under their noses.

Jakumo:

Runway excursions take place all over the world for a variety of reasons ranging from bad weather or visibility on final approach, to water on the runway, brake failure, or thrust reverser deployment issues, so it is a wrong assumption to declare that the Port Harcourt incident was the result of pilot error.

The Nigerian airforce has some of the worlds most experienced and skilled pilots who honed their flying skills in a part of the world renowned for challenging, violently stormy weather - West Africa.

Are you really serious? World's most experienced and skilled pilots?

comechop:

Are you really serious? World's most experienced and skilled pilots?

Serious as a heart attack, ComeChop.  The storms that ravage West African skies are particularly ferocious, and Nigerian pilots would be out of a job if they refused to get airborne in a thunderstorm, as ordered by their employers, who stand to take significant losses for every cancelled flight.   Out of occupational necessity therefore, Nigerian aviators become seasoned veterans of far more violent weather than do pilots who work just about anywhere else on the globe, with the possible exception of Alaska.

How long would a Nigerian 90's-era jet fighter last in an aerial dogfight against a comparable vintage US Air Force F16 tactical fighter ?  Probably mere seconds, BUT, within the limitations of the Third World hand-me-down equipment and aircraft available to Nigerian aircrews, those guys and gals do an admirable job, for which every one of them qualified by virtue of possessing the balls of steel, and yes, THE SKILL, it takes to ride out those perfect West African storms, over and over again.

Thank God!

@ Spyker

The Nigerian Air Force does NOT operate the Dash 8, but brand new ATR-42 Maritime patrol aircrafts. Please get your facts straight.

@superboi.pls how far have u gone wit d aviation career now.its been long we talked now, i'm interested on pursuing a career as commercial pilot now.do u know of any recent options and sponsorships? This is my mail simonobinna@gmail .com and ,08032621312 let me get urs.pls reply by inbox lets talk better, thanks your e-friend.SIMON

It must have been a G-222 transport plane that overan the run-way.

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Re: Plane Crash In Port Harcourt: Few Minutes Ago. [No Casualties]
« #67 on: Today at 07:38:04 AM »

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Air Force Plane Crash landed, bad omen, that shows that Nigerian Air force pilots were not properly trained. What will happen in a case of external aggression ? Food for thought

What nonsense. The most stupid conclusion that can be,

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Jakumo (m)
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Re: Plane Crash In Port Harcourt: Few Minutes Ago. [No Casualties]
« #72 on: Today at 09:40:45 AM »

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Quote from: comechop on Today at 08:46:40 AM
Are you really serious? World's most experienced and skilled pilots?


Serious as a heart attack, ComeChop. The storms that ravage West African skies are particularly ferocious, and Nigerian pilots would be out of a job if they refused to get airborne in a thunderstorm, as ordered by their employers, who stand to take significant losses for every cancelled flight. Out of occupational necessity therefore, Nigerian aviators become seasoned veterans of far more violent weather than do pilots who work just about anywhere else on the globe, with the possible exception of Alaska.

How long would a Nigerian 90's-era jet fighter last in an aerial dogfight against a comparable vintage US Air Force F16 tactical fighter ? Probably mere seconds, BUT, within the limitations of the Third World hand-me-down equipment and aircraft available to Nigerian aircrews, those guys and gals do an admirable job, for which every one of them qualified by virtue of possessing the balls of steel, and yes, THE SKILL, it takes to ride out those perfect West African storms, over

and over again.


JAKUMO, do you have something to do with aviation?

No pilot is under any pressure to operate an aircraft in bad weather. Professionally, its
a no go area and i dont see why a company would risk equipment, lives and reputation
to operate a flight that can be delayed until an improvement in weather conditions.

Its scary when people doing safety training can't even apply safety in their own routine activity.

This is very worrying.

mikeansy:

Its scary when people doing safety training can't even apply safety in their own routine activity.

This is very worrying.

Seconded and sad that our govt will not see a reason why they have to do something quick

superboi:

spyker your friend should just remain as aviation security, naf do not use dash 8s,the aircraft that had the incident was an airforce g 222 still used all over the world. in military age do not really matter as the utilization of aircraft is not as high as in civil avition, thats why even the mighty usa still use their 50 year old B 52s and C 130s, and the British their 40+year old vc 10s. please wait for the accident report before you start to judge and speculate rubbish.

ocelot2006:

@ Spyker
The Nigerian Air Force does NOT operate the Dash 8, but brand new ATR-42 Maritime patrol aircrafts. Please get your facts straight.

I am not a pressman neither am i a pilot for God's sake and i only informed the house what i got over a phone all. Why must everything in become an object of argument or insult.

since it was a mock exercise, why put human beings on it?
48 people going nowhere.
Why didnt they use gallons of water if they wanted d plane to carry load?
Can u imagine this joke? 48 people on a suicide-like mission
Oyibo dey use dogs etc for test, naija dey use humans.

Thank God they did not die!

emmydee:

since it was a mock exercise, why put human beings on it?
48 people going nowhere.
Why didnt they use gallons of water if they wanted d plane to carry load?
Can u imagine this joke? 48 people on a suicide-like mission
Oyibo dey use dogs etc for test, naija dey use humans.

Thank God they did not die!

You do know that first class militaries and security agencies run mock exercises with live participants, right?

supereagle:

Air Force Plane Crash landed, bad omen, that shows that Nigerian Air force pilots were not properly trained. What will happen in a case of external aggression ? Food for thought

It's posts like this that annoys the hell out of me . What the hell do you mean that Nigerian Air Force pilots are not properly trained? NAF pilots are definitely not the best, but do you know that the FG spends A LOT to send our pilots to elite flying schools outside the shores of the nation for type-rating flight training. Do you know that these pilots undergo far intense appraisals than their fixed-wing and rotary colluegues in the civilian sector?

By the way, the US Marine Corp (USMC) airwing just lost an FA-18 fighter jet. Based on that incident, are American military pilots also incompetent? Finally, do you know that machines also fail?

So if you don't mind, shut the f@#k up and stop spewing rubbish.

ocelot2006:

It's posts like this that annoys the hell out of me  . What the hell do you mean that Nigerian Air Force pilots are not properly trained? NAF pilots are definitely not the best, but do you know that the FG spends A LOT to send our pilots to elite flying schools outside the shores of the nation for type-rating flight training. Do you know that these pilots undergo far intense appraisals than their fixed-wing and rotary colluegues in the civilian sector?

By the way, the US Marine Corp (USMC) airwing just lost an FA-18 fighter jet. Based on that incident, are American military pilots also incompetent? Finally, do you know that machines also fail?

So if you don't mind, shut the f@#k up and stop spewing rubbish.

I like the way you replied. Most of these guys know next to nothing about aviation. Am sure they think NAF pilots just wake up and start flying like Danfo bus drivers. They areignorant that they are trained well

at this times,we can only put our hopes in GOD.

ocelot2006:

@ Spyker

The Nigerian Air Force does NOT operate the Dash 8, but brand new ATR-42 Maritime patrol aircrafts. Please get your facts straight.

It's not the ATR-42 that crash landed; it's a G-222. The ATR-42 is used for maritime patrol and air recce, and its base is benin-city. The G-222 has its base in ilorin. I called one of the ATR pilots yesterday who confirmed to me that it was a G-222 that crashed landed during a mock excercise in PH. The pilots involved are experience pilots who after their basic flying training in nigeria went abroad to qualify as transport pilots; The captain of that flight is a Group Captain while the co-pilot is a Wing Commander. I know both of them very well when they were fling in NAF flying school in kaduna. i doubt if the crash was a human error.

zebra:

It's not the ATR-42 that crash landed; it's a G-222. The ATR-42 is used for maritime patrol and air recce, and its base is benin-city. The G-222 has its base in ilorin. I called one of the ATR pilots yesterday who confirmed to me that it was a G-222 that crashed landed during a mock excercise in PH. The pilots involved are experience pilots who after their basic flying training in nigeria went abroad to qualify as transport pilots; The captain of that flight is a Group Captain while the co-pilot is a Wing Commander. I know both of them very well when they were fling in NAF flying school in kaduna. i doubt if the crash was a human error.

Please read my 2nd post. I said that it may have the G-222 transport aircraft involved in the incident. Nigerian newspapers wrongly identified the aircraft as the G-888.

Based on the cause of the crash, we'll have to wait for the official report from the AIB and NAF. But if i'm to offer a few guesses, it may be the following:
[list]
[li]The pilots may have failed to deploy the aircraft's spoilers on landing. The spoilers aid in slowing the aircraft down on landing by increasing its drag.[/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]If it rained that day, or if the runway was wet/water-logged, then the plane may have hydroplaned as water would have filled up the grooves of the aircrafts tires, making it a flat surface, thus reducing the traction between the tires and the runway surface. As a result, the plane skids away into the bushes[/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]


Then again, these are only guesses.

zebra:

It's not the ATR-42 that crash landed; it's a G-222. The ATR-42 is used for maritime patrol and air recce, and its base is benin-city. The G-222 has its base in ilorin. I called one of the ATR pilots yesterday who confirmed to me that it was a G-222 that crashed landed during a mock excercise in PH. The pilots involved are experience pilots who after their basic flying training in nigeria went abroad to qualify as transport pilots; The captain of that flight is a Group Captain while the co-pilot is a Wing Commander. I know both of them very well when they were fling in NAF flying school in kaduna. i doubt if the crash was a human error.

U seem 2no very much, can we no hw much time it took these pilots 2finish their trainin in KD & 2qualify as Pilots?

Sky Spirit:

U seem 2no very much, can we no hw much time it took these pilots 2finish their trainin in KD & 2qualify as Pilots?

i used to live on the airforce base and some of the officers who were student pilots were my friends.

It depends, sometimes because of bad weather they extend their training. sometimes if the aircrafts have problem they extend the training; but ab-initio plus basic flying should not take more than 18 months, after which you go for advance flying. The NAF presently has a good number of pilots who were trained abroad as either figther or transport/operational pilots.

It was actually an airforce plane with decoy passengers conducting an exercise to show the alertness and readiness of airport emergency systems to accidents,

But it actually went wrong as, the idea was just to land peacefully and the pilot give a distress signal and safety official will rush to the scene to show how alert they are, everything was caughtt on camera, however after landing the plane actually lost control and veered into the bush, (Thank God they where actually expecting it if not it would have been worse)

In the end it was actually a very good one exercise cos there where no casualties and everything was recorded, only God knows what would have happened if they where not expecting such exercise,

Which airport did this happen?

Port- Harcourt International or airforce?

tanimz:

Which airport did this happen?

Port- Harcourt International or airforce?

the one at omagwa. i.e. international airport

zebra:

the one at omagwa. i.e. international airport

OMG!! Its always that airport that something bad happens to.