What happened
On the morning of October 29, 2006, a Boeing 737-2ASS operated by ADK Airlines arrived in Abuja from Lagos. The aircraft, flying as flight ADK 053, was scheduled for a passenger service to Sokoto. During the turnaround in Abuja, the aircraft took on 5,000 liters of fuel, bringing the total fuel load to 11,000kg. Due to rainfall during the boarding process, the crew temporarily closed the aircraft doors, reopening them once the rain subsided to allow ground personnel to exit.
At 1115 hrs, the crew received clearance to start the engines, and by 1121 hrs, the aircraft was cleared to taxi to the holding position for Runway 22. During taxiing, the crew received several updates regarding wind conditions, which were reported as variable and gusty, ranging between 15 and 35 kts. Following a brief period where the pilot waited for weather improvements, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff with a right turn-out. The Boeing 737-200 became airborne at 1129 hrs.
Shortly after departure, the aircraft was transferred to Approach Control on the 119.8MHz frequency, but the crew failed to acknowledge the transmission. Air traffic controllers attempted to contact the aircraft multiple times, even requesting assistance from other pilots on the same frequency, but received no response. Following the loss of communication, authorities notified the National Emergency Management Agency. At 1138 hrs, reports emerged from a nearby village of a plane crash. A search party subsequently confirmed that the aircraft had crashed near the radar site. The accident resulted in 96 fatalities out of 105 persons on board.
Findings
- The aircraft crashed during the initial climb phase of flight.
- Severe gusty wind conditions were present during the taxi and takeoff sequence.