Incident Details
A twin-engine aircraft operating a charter flight departed Jos for Maiduguri. On board were 14 passengers and four crew members, with the flight arranged for the Nigerian daily newspaper This Day. After takeoff from Jos Airport, the crew received information indicating good weather conditions at the destination, with visibility of 9 km. However, visibility later dropped to 5 km within a few minutes.
While approaching Maiduguri, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Air traffic control advised the crew to divert to an alternate airport. The crew entered a holding pattern for several minutes, hoping for weather improvement, but subsequently informed ATC that they were unable to divert due to insufficient fuel reserve.
Emergency Landing
The captain then attempted an emergency landing approximately 12 km from the airport. The aircraft crash landed in an open field and came to rest.
Aftermath
All 18 occupants escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official findings attributed the forced landing to the deterioration of weather conditions, including a tropical storm. Poor flight preparation by the crew, who miscalculated the fuel reserve for a possible alternate airport, was also cited. Additionally, it was determined that the crew was unable to locate the runway because the intensity of the runway light system was too low.