By Dickson Omobola
Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has disclosed that Air Traffic Control, ATC, advised Enugu Air’s flight crew that the approach to Runway 23 at Benin Airport appeared better than Runway 05 before the aircraft overran the runway last month.
On July 23, an Enugu Air Flight 4264, with registration number 5N-ENR, from Lagos to Benin, the Edo State capital, suffered a runway excursion. However, all 63 passengers and five crew members on board were safely evacuated.
NSIB, in its preliminary report on the accident, said while the crew acknowledged the advisory, it continued with the Area Navigation, RNAV, approach to Runway 05, adding that the control tower also informed the crew that the runway surface was wet before issuing landing clearance.
The report said after overrunning the runway, the aircraft struck the approach-lighting installations and collided with two fixed concrete structures belonging to a decommissioned localiser installation beyond the runway end.
