What happened
On June 2, 2012, an Allied Air Ltd cargo flight, operating a Boeing 727-221 with registration 5N-BJN, was performing an arrival into Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. The flight, which had originated from Lagos, Nigeria, was operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and encountered heavy rain and significant IMC conditions during its descent. While the approach was initially conducted using the Instrument Landing System (ILS), the pilot transitioned to manual flight at 500 feet.
Upon touchdown on Runway 21, the aircraft was traveling at a high speed of approximately 154 knots. Despite the crew's attempts to use thrust reversers, normal brakes, and emergency pneumatic brakes, the aircraft failed to decelerate effectively. Notably, the nose gear remained elevated during the landing roll, and the speed brakes were not utilized. The aircraft traveled 5,807 feet down the runway before exiting the paved surface.
The excursion resulted in the aircraft overrunning the runway, destroying the ILS localizer transmitter structure, and breaching the airport perimeter wall. During the overrun, the aircraft collided with a passenger minibus on Giffard Road, causing 10 fatalities among the bus occupants. The aircraft also struck a tree and eventually came to a halt near El-Wak Sport Stadium. The 4 crew members on board the aircraft survived with minor injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft approached the runway at an unstable and excessive speed of 167 knots.
- The nose gear failed to descend to the runway surface during the braking application.
- Heavy rain and low visibility conditions were present during the landing phase.
- The windshield wipers were found to be only partially functional, failing to clear the rain from the windscreen.
- The aircraft's momentum and high landing speed prevented effective stopping via available braking systems.