.…there was torrential rain and unstable wings
…….aib commences investigation
The Accident Investigation Bureau AIB says investigation has commenced into the serious incident involving Max aircraft at the Minna Airport on Saturday.
The Max Airline aircraft a Boeing 747-400 with registration number 5N-DBK which took off from the King Abdul Aziz international airport in Jeddah Saudi Arabia with 560 passengers and 19 crew developed a technical problem during approach to landing on runway 23 at the Minna international airport, Niger state.
According to AIB, “the aircraft screeped number one engine brushed the runway surface”.
In a statement, the AIB says no injury was reported.
Passengers onboard were inbound pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement from the Max airline’s Director of flight operations Captain Ibrahim Dilli at the time of arrival of the aircraft at the Minna airport, Niger state, there was heavy torrential rain with unstable winds.
He added that the Instrument Landing System at the airport was epileptic with unreliable signals and the pilot evacuated an approach.
“using their wealth of experience and knowledge of the terrain and environment to a safe landing and stop on the runway, during which one of the engines slightly brushed the runway due to complex landing maneuvers occasioned by strong downdraft, aircraft did not crash nor skid off the runway”.
Dilli emphasized that the aircraft was taxied to the airport terminal and passengers disembarked without any problem.
“All passengers and crew are safe and sound”.
“All required reports of the minor incident have been filed. Officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA , and the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, have inspected both the aircraft and runway and are satisfied”.
