Approach and Descent
After an uneventful flight from Kano, the crew initiated a descent toward Lagos-Ikeja Airport. The captain was cleared for a straight-in approach. However, the aircraft encountered foggy conditions that reduced visibility.
Collision with Terrain
During the final approach, the crew failed to realize that the aircraft's altitude was too low. The airplane struck trees and crashed 13 kilometers short of runway 19. The impact destroyed the aircraft completely.
Fatalities
All 87 occupants on board were killed in the accident.
Investigation and Flight Recorder Issues
The flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered undamaged, but British AAIB engineers reported it was unreadable. The data consisted only of a stream of alternating ones and zeros, indicating a fault in one of the system's logic units that could not be detected from the flight deck. No readable data could be reconstructed.
Official Findings
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Nevertheless, it is believed that the flying crew led the aircraft descending below the minimum safe altitude while still under control.