What happened
During an approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport, the crew encountered severe weather characterized by heavy rainfall and high winds. While on short final, a sudden shift in wind direction created a tailwind component that increased in intensity. This change resulted in the aircraft type touching down approximately 1,000 meters beyond the runway threshold.
Due to the wet condition of the runway surface, the aircraft could not decelerate sufficiently within the available distance. The plane overran the runway, collided with a concrete drainage ditch structure, and traveled an additional 147 meters before catching fire. While 65 individuals were successfully rescued, the accident resulted in 15 fatalities. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the event.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several critical contributing factors:
- Inaccurate meteorological data provided by airport support services meant the crew lacked precise information regarding wind speed and direction during the landing phase.
- The presence of standing water on the runway, which was not communicated to the flight crew, led to aquaplaning and a significant loss of braking effectiveness.
- The crew did not execute a go-around despite the deteriorating weather conditions and miscalculated the remaining usable runway length for a safe landing.
- Improper cabin management allowed passengers to move into the rear trunk and toilet areas during the landing; these individuals were unable to escape the subsequent fire.
- Inadequate coordination of emergency response and rescue operations at the airport hindered the recovery efforts.