NSIB Links Dana’s Runway Incident To Landing Gear Issues

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released a preliminary report on the serious incident involving an MD82 aircraft operated by Dana Airlines Limited with nationality and registration marks 5N-BKI, which occurred on Runway 18L, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on April 23, 2024, linking the incident to landing gear issues.

According to the report from the ongoing  investigation, “On 23 April 2024 at 08:20 h, an MD-82 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BKI, operated by Dana Airlines Limited as DAN0352, departed Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (DNAA), for Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (DNMM). On board were 89 persons, including six crew members, with a fuel endurance of about 2 hours and 50 minutes. The Captain was the Pilot Monitoring (PM), while the First Officer was the Pilot Flying (PF).

At about 08:37 h, DAN0352 was airborne and climbed to FL300, its cruising level as cleared from DNAA. At about 09:20 h, after Descent Out of FL300, DAN0352 was handed over to Lagos Tower, reported its position as 13 miles on the Localizer runway (RWY) 18L and was instructed by the Tower to continue its Approach. The Crew stated that the flight from DNAA was routine until during Approach when DAN0352 was in contact with Tower and was cleared for ILS on RWY 18L.

On the Final Approach to RWY 18L, the PF called for “GEAR DOWN”, and the PM selected landing gears “DOWN”. According to the First Officer, “We got two green lights and one red light, the red being the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) Indication.” The crew stated that they recycled the Landing Gears by selecting UP and then DOWN, but the NLG Indication Light remained RED. The crew then proceeded with the EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION Checklist, but again, the NLG indication RED Light remained.

At 09:23 h, DAN0352 informed Tower of its intention to execute a Go-Around. At 09:24 h, while executing the Go-Around, DAN0352 did a LOW PASS over the station and requested the Duty Air Traffic Controller (DATCO) to check if the NLG was down. The DATCO responded, “It appears down.” At 09:25 h, DAN0352 contacted Approach Control requesting to be vectored for another Approach. Approach Control then enquired about the reason for the Go-Around, to which the crew responded, “We just had an indication here, so we just want to verify everything is okay, but at this moment, we look good, and we are going to try another Approach to RWY 18L.” The crew stated in the post-occurrence interview that they consulted the MD82 Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) and carried out the QRH items.

At 09:30 h, Approach Control cleared DAN0352 for an ILS Approach RWY 18L. At 09:33 h, DAN0352 contacted Tower, reporting 9 miles Touchdown RWY 18L, and was given weather information: DNMM 0800UTC; Wind 350o/05 kt runway 18L, cleared to land caution runway surface damp. As the crew selected the Landing Flap position, the Landing Gear Configuration Warning came ON and continued until the aircraft touched down.

At about 09:38 h, DAN0352 touched down runway 18L. According to the Captain, the landing was soft. During the Landing Roll, the Captain deployed Speed Brakes, after which Thrust Reversers were deployed, and the nose of the aircraft was lowered. At this point, the crew stated that severe vibration was accompanied by a loud noise from the NLG area. On reaching 80 knots, the Captain noticed the collapse of the NLG, followed by a loss of directional control. The aircraft then veered off to the left and exited the runway at about 2,094 m from the threshold. It continued in the grass verge, crossed the paved Link 6 and stopped at about 2,343 m from the threshold, about 36 m from the runway centreline.

Upon the final stop of the aircraft, the Captain shut down the engines and commanded evacuation through the Forward Service Door due to safety concerns on the Main Entry Door side. The Cabin Crew opened the Forward Service Door, and the Escape Slide was deployed. All occupants evacuated without any injury.

At about 09:41 h, the Tower contacted Ground Control, which activated the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS). According to the crew, as they evacuated, they sighted ARFFS vehicles already taking positions around the aircraft. The event occurred in daylight, and Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) prevailed.”

The aircraft was slightly damaged. Year of manufacture is 1996 and serial number is 53542.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) of this occurrence via phone call on 23 April 2024. NSIB contacted the operator, and investigators were dispatched the same day to the occurrence site. The NSIB commenced investigation into the circumstances of the occurrence under the provisions of Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2023 and Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

This preliminary report provides details of initial facts, discussions, and findings surrounding the occurrence. It also includes information gathered from witness accounts/statements, flight recorders, Air Traffic Control (ATC) recordings, weather reports, and preliminary inspection of the aircraft.

NSIB found that the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) has the capability to record four 30 minutes high quality channels and a standard quality 120 minute mixed channel. Both the CVR and FDR were found intact and successfully downloaded at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau’s Transportation Safety laboratory in Abuja.

“The crew stated that on reaching 80 knots during the Landing Roll, the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) collapsed, the aircraft lost directional control, veered off to the left of the runway centreline, and exited the runway at about 2,094 m from the threshold. It continued in the grass verge, crossed the paved Link 6, and came to a stop at about 2,343 m from the threshold of runway 18L, 36 m from the runway centreline. The aircraft was recovered the same day, towed and parked at a hangar.”

The damage observed are Distress to lower forward skin; The NLG lights were broken; The Galley Drain was deformed; An Antenna was broken and the NLG Wheel Well Aft Door was damaged.