History of Air Crashed In Nigeria - DANA Crash was a Disaster waiting to Happen

This is not the first time an air mishap has claimed a large number of people. The history of air mishaps in Nigeria shows that:

1.       November 20, 1969 – Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 crashes on landing killing 87 on board.

2.       January 22, 1973 – Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and 5 crewmen died in crash in Kano, Nigeria.

3.       March 1, 1978 – Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashes in Kano killing 16.

4.       November 28, 1983 – Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashes on approach in Enugu killing 53 on board.

5.       July 11, 1991 – Nigeria Airways DC-8-61 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from system failure killing 261 on board.

6.       September 26, 1992 – Nigerian Air Force A C-130 plane crashes minutes after take-off from Lagos. All 200 on board killed.

7.       June 24, 1995 – Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crashes on landing in Lagos killing 16.

8.       November 13, 1995 – Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crashes on landing in Kaduna killing 9.

9.       November 7, 1996 – A Nigerian ADC( Aviation Development Corporation ) Airline Boeing 727-231 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos with 142 passengers and 9 crew members crashed on landing, plunging into a lagoon with all on board killed.

10.   January 31, 1997 – SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA crashes on landing in Yola killing 5.

11.   January 5, 2000 – SkyPower Express Airways Bandeirante 110P1A crashes on landing in Abuja killing 17.

12.   May 4, 2002 – Nigerian EAS Airlines’ BAC 1-11-500 with 105 people on board crashed and burst into flames in a poor, densely populated suburb of Kano. 76 on board killed, including 72 on the ground bringing it to a total 148 dead.

13.   October 22, 2005 – A Nigerian Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 airliner with 117 people on board crashes and disintegrates in flames shortly after take-off from Lagos. All on board killed.

14.   December 10, 2005 – A Nigerian Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, killing all 103 on board. Most on board were fschoolchildren going home for Christmas.

15.   September. 17, 2006 – A Nigerian 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed leaving only three survivors that sustained serious injuries. The plane with registration number 228-212 crashed in northern part of the country at Oko village in Vandeikya local government area of Benue State at about 10:30 a.m.

16.   October 29, 2006 – A Nigerian ADC Boeing 737 with 104 on board crashes minutes after take-off from Abuja’s airport during a rain storm. All but 6 perished in the disaster. The spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Sunni Muslims, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido was among the dead.

 Build-up to final crash of Dana aircraft MD-83 in Lagos

A Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 finally crashed yesterday killing about 153 passengers on board, was a disaster waiting to happen. On May 3, an unnamed Lagos station manager of the airline was reported to have drawn the attention of management of the airlines that the aircraft in question needed to be grounded for general check-up but that alarm was ignored.

May 11, 2012, the same aircraft was billed for Lagos/Abuja with more than half capacity passengers and an air return but had emergency landing at MM airport. Reports said passengers had to hurriedly disembark and sought alternative means of travelling. No casualty.

May 25, 2012, the same plane was to do Lagos/Calabar flight but made another air return to Lagos after the crew reported engine fault. There was also no casualty. Then came the final straw. 

June 3, 2012, same MD-83 was on a flight 9J-1993 from Lagos to Abuja with 153 passengers when the crew also discovered that the engine had developed fault. The pilot made a quick air return to Lagos. But while on a final approach to runway 6L, the aircraft rammed into a power line, crashed into a build-up area about 5-6nm from touch down and burst into flames, killing all passengers on board.

Based on the above, this was an accident  due to happen. Too bad it happened. Will Dana Air management be held culpable? Who knows? We have to wait for the 'black-box', to see what it says.

Nigeria air traveling public needs to be assured by FAAN and Ministry of Aviation, that they  will use this last accident to beef up maintenance records and make sure only airworthy aircrafts operate in Nigeria. One accident is too many. Nigeria needs some good news.

My heart goes to the affected families. May the dead rest.

@sesansoulmate