What happened
During the descent toward Port Harcourt Airport, the pilot-in-command successfully identified the runway lights from an altitude of 2,500 feet. As the flight continued, the aircraft encountered trees while the crew believed the plane was at an altitude of 390 feet. In an attempt to recover, the captain initiated a go-around maneuver; however, all four engines failed to provide necessary power.
Following the loss of engine performance, the aircraft continued its descent and struck the ground approximately 250 metres before reaching the runway threshold. The force of the impact caused the undercarriage to be ripped from the airframe. The aircraft slid for several dozen metres before coming to a complete stop. While the four crew members on board escaped the incident without injuries, the aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Findings
- The aircraft was reportedly unstable during its final approach.
- A critical failure occurred when all four engines failed to respond during the attempted go-around procedure.