Less than two months after the ill-fated Dana flight from Abuja to
Lagos, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) led by Capt. M.S. Usman has
submitted its preliminary report of Investigation over the actual cause of the
Crash.
According to the preliminary Investigation by Capt. Usman, the
Dana flight On 3rd June 2012 about 1545 hours [1], 5N-RAM, a Boeing MD-83, a
domestic scheduled commercial flight, operated by Dana Airlines Limited as
flight 992 (DAN 992), crashed into a densely populated area during a forced
landing following a total loss of power in both engines while on approach to
Muhammed Murtala Airport (LOS), Lagos, Nigeria. Visual meteorological
conditions prevailed at the time and the airplane was on an instrument flight
plan. All of the 153 persons aboard the airplane, including the 6 crew members
were fatally injured. There were 10 confirmed ground fatalities. The airplane
was destroyed. There was post impact fire. The flight originated at Abuja (ABV)
and the destination was LOS.
The airplane was on the fourth flight segment of the day, consisting of two round-trips between Lagos and Abuja. The accident occurred during the return leg of the second trip. DAN 992 was on final approach for runway 18R at LOS when the crew reported the total loss of power.
The airplane was on the fourth flight segment of the day, consisting of two round-trips between Lagos and Abuja. The accident occurred during the return leg of the second trip. DAN 992 was on final approach for runway 18R at LOS when the crew reported the total loss of power.
According to interviews, the flight arrived in ABV as Dana Air
flight 993 about 1350. According to Dana Air ground personnel, routine
turn-around activities occurred, including refueling of the airplane. DAN 992
initiated engine startup at 1436, taxied to the runway and was later airborne
at 1458 after the flight had reported that it had a fuel endurance of 3.5
hours. Shortly after takeoff, DAN 992 reported 1545 as the estimated time of
arrival at LOS as the flight climbed to a cruise altitude of 26,000 ft[2].
DAN0992 made contact with Lagos Area Control Center at 1518 hours.
The report revealed that the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) retained
about 31 minutes of the flight and starts about 1515 at which time the captain
and first officer were in a discussion of a non-normal condition regarding the
correlation between the engine throttle setting and an engine power
indication[3]. However, they did not voice concerns then that the condition
would affect the continuation of the flight. The flight crew continued to
monitor the condition and became increasingly concerned as the flight
transition through the initial descent from cruise altitude at 1522 and the
subsequent approach phase.
The report stated that “DAN 992 reported passing through 18,100
and 7,700 ft, respectively, at 1530 and 1540 hours. After receiving a series of
heading and altitude assignments from the controller, DAN 992 was issued the
final heading to intercept the final approach course for runway 18R.
During the period of 1537 and 15:41 the flight crew engaged in
pre-landing tasks including deployment of the slats, and extension of the flaps
and landing gear. At 15:41:16 the first officer (FO) inquired, “both engines
coming up?” and the captain (Capt) replied “negative.” The flight crew
subsequently discussed and agreed to declare an emergency. At 1542:10, DANA 992
radioed an emergency distress call indicating “dual engine failure . . .
negative response from throttle.”
“At 1542:35, the flight crew lowered the flaps further and
continued with the approach and discussed landing alternatively on runway 18L.
At 1542:45, the Capt reported the runway in sight and instructed the FO to
raise the flaps up and 4 seconds later to raise the landing gear.
At 1543:27 hours, the Capt informed the FO “we just lost
everything, we lost an engine. I lost both engines”. During the next 25 seconds
until the end of the CVR recording, the flight crew was attempting to restart
the engines”.
The airplane crashed in a residential area about 5.8 miles north
of LOS. The airplane wreckage was on approximately the extended centerline of
runway 18R. During the impact sequence, the airplane struck an incomplete
building, two trees and three buildings. The wreckage was confined, with the
separated tail section and engines located at the beginning of the debris
field.
The airplane was mostly consumed by post crash fire. The tail
section, both engines and portions of both wings, representing only about 15%
of the airplane were recovered from the accident site for further examination.
The two flight recorders, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) were analysed at the facilities of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington, D.C., USA. The solid state based memory in the CVR was in good condition and retained 31 minutes of audio information. The digital tape based memory in the FDR succumbed to the post crash fire and melted, consequently no data could be recovered.
The two flight recorders, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) were analysed at the facilities of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington, D.C., USA. The solid state based memory in the CVR was in good condition and retained 31 minutes of audio information. The digital tape based memory in the FDR succumbed to the post crash fire and melted, consequently no data could be recovered.
The captain, age 55, held an airline transport pilot license with
type ratings in the A-320[4], DC-9, FK-28[5], and SF-340[6]. He had over 18,116
hours of total time, including 16,416 hours of pilot-in-command time (PIC). The
captain had 7,461 hours in the accident model airplane all of which was as PIC.
He was employed with Dana Air on 14 March 2012. He began flying line operations
for the company in late May 2012 and had since accrued over 120 hours of flight
time. The captain had acquired about 3, 78, and 116 flight hours, respectively,
in the preceding 24 hours, 30 and 90 days.
The first officer, age 34, held a commercial pilot license he was
type rated in MD-83. He had 1,143 hours of total time, including about 200
hours as pilot-in-command. The first officer had 808 hours in the accident
model airplane all of which was second-in-command. He had been previously
employed with Dana Air as the Director of Cabin Service before he was hired as
a pilot about January 2011. The first officer had accrued about 3, 42, and 154
flight hours, respectively, during the preceding 24 hours, 30 and 90 days.
The airplane was manufactured in 1990 and according to maintenance
records it had accumulated 60,846 hours (35,219 cycles) of total time. The left
and right engines respectively had 54,322 (30,933 cycles) and 26,025 (12,466
cycles) hours of total time since new. A review of the aircraft technical logs
did not reveal of the previous 30 days did not indicate a condition. The
airplane had last undergone maintenance on 1st June 2012, and after a return to
service flight on 2nd June 2012, it was operated on four revenue flights (two
round trips between LOS and ABV) and another four flights on 3rd June 2012.
Fueling records indicated the airplane was uplifted with 8000 lbs
of fuel before departure from ABV. The flight crew reported to ATC they had
26,000 lbs of total fuel. Preliminary analysis of fuel samples from the
refueling truck and the supply tank at ABV were negative for contamination.
The investigative activities have included, in part, visual
examination of the aircraft wreckage, review of maintenance records and other
historical information of the aircraft, documentation of the training and
experience of the flight crew, determination the chronology of the flight,
review of recorded data, reconstructing the aircraft refueling, and collection
of related fuel samples, and interviews of relevant personnel.
Future investigative activities will include, but is not limited to, the detailed examination of the engines, further testing of fuel samples, continued factual gathering of relevant historical, operational, maintenance and performance information of the accident airplane in addition to other similar airplane models, further development of the background of the flightcrew, further analysis of the CVR audio recording and review of pertinent issues associated with regulatory oversight.
Future investigative activities will include, but is not limited to, the detailed examination of the engines, further testing of fuel samples, continued factual gathering of relevant historical, operational, maintenance and performance information of the accident airplane in addition to other similar airplane models, further development of the background of the flightcrew, further analysis of the CVR audio recording and review of pertinent issues associated with regulatory oversight.
As the State of Occurrence, the Accident Investigation Bureau
(AIB) has instituted an investigation in accordance with the standards and
recommendations specified in the provisions of Annex 13 of the International
Civil Aviation Organization. As the State of manufacture of the airplane and
engine, a US Accredited
Representative has been appointed and assisted by US technical advisors from the NTSB, US Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing Airplane Company, and Pratt & Whitney Engines.
Representative has been appointed and assisted by US technical advisors from the NTSB, US Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing Airplane Company, and Pratt & Whitney Engines.
I hope this would be settled soon. There should be personal injury lawyers to help them settle the cases legally.
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