What happened
On the evening of December 16, 2025, a Cessna 172E aircraft bearing registration 5N-ASR and operated by Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited was conducting a positioning flight from Kaduna (DNKA) to Port Harcourt (DNPO). The aircraft was en route under Visual Flight Rules to perform banner towing operations. Approximately 50 nautical miles from its destination, the crew reported a sudden loss of engine power and declared an emergency to Port Harcourt Approach.
Following instructions from Air Traffic Control, the pilot diverted to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (DNIM) in Owerri. Upon contacting Owerri Tower at 19:56 h, the crew cited a "technical issue" but did not initially specify engine failure. The aircraft was cleared for approach to Runway 17 under calm weather conditions.
As the aircraft neared the airport, the crew spotted another aircraft landing on Runway 17. According to post-occurrence interviews, the pilot attempted to delay the final approach by performing S-pattern maneuvers to allow the preceding traffic to clear the runway. During this maneuvering, ATC requested details regarding the technical issue, at which point the crew reported "engine vibration" and confirmed their intention to land.
At 20:03 h, the pilot of the preceding aircraft alerted Owerri Tower that they had seen the Cessna approaching beyond the red lights. Shortly after receiving landing clearance, contact with 5N-ASR was lost. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 270 meters short of the Runway 17 threshold, striking nine approach lights before coming to rest in an inverted position on the grass verge.
The investigation
The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) dispatched investigators to the site the following day. Key elements of the preliminary examination include:
- Wreckage Analysis: The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including a detached nose landing gear found 17 meters from the main fuselage. The propeller blades remained intact with no signs of pre-impact deformation or ground impact stress, suggesting the engine was not producing power at the moment of impact.
- Fuel System: Post-crash inspection revealed no fuel in the wing tanks and no evidence of fluid spillage, indicating potential fuel exhaustion or supply interruption prior to the crash.
- Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT): The recovered ELT was found to be unserviceable because its battery had expired in October 2015.
- Crew Status: Toxicology tests on both crew members were negative. The Captain, aged 57, held a valid Airline Transport Pilot Licence but had an expired instrument rating. The Co-pilot, aged 37, also held an expired instrument rating.
- Passenger Injuries: Two company representatives in the rear seats sustained serious injuries due to the detachment of their seat mounting bolts during the impact. Both crew members were uninjured.
Findings
The investigation has established several contributing factors and factual findings:
- The aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power while maneuvering for landing at night.
- The propeller blades showed no evidence of centrifugal force or ground contact, supporting the report of engine failure.
- The absence of fuel in the wing tanks suggests the engine may have starved of fuel before impact.
- The crew’s decision to perform S-pattern maneuvers to delay approach may have contributed to altitude loss or energy management issues during a critical phase of flight.
- The ELT battery expiration represents a safety oversight, though it did not hinder rescue operations as ARFFS arrived within minutes.
Safety action
The NSIB has issued an immediate safety recommendation:
- Recommendation 2026: The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is urged to remove disused concrete slabs littering the grass verge along the approach path of Runway 17 at DNIM to prevent foreign object debris (FOD) hazards.
Further investigative actions include a detailed examination of the engine and propeller assembly, as well as the airframe and engine fuel system, to determine the precise cause of the power loss.