Panic gripped passengers and airport workers on Sunday after a private jet crash-landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, with all 11 persons on board narrowly escaping death.
The aircraft, a Hawker 800XP with registration number 5N-ISB, was carrying three crew members and eight passengers when the incident occurred during landing.
The jet, operated by Flybird Aircraft Management Services Limited, had departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for Kano at about 9:20 a.m., according to reports.
Confirming the incident, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said it has launched a full investigation into the occurrence.
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In a statement, the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, disclosed that the aircraft’s nose landing gear collapsed during landing, leading to the crash-landing.
She explained that trouble began during the approach into Kano when the flight crew noticed an abnormal landing gear indication and requested multiple low passes over the runway for visual confirmation.
“During the approach phase into Kano, the flight crew reported a landing gear indication anomaly and requested multiple low passes over the runway to allow air traffic controllers to visually confirm the landing gear position. Kano Tower confirmed on each low pass that all three landing gears appeared fully extended,” Oladeji stated.
According to her, the aircraft was eventually cleared to land on Runway 06 and touched down at about 10:34 a.m. local time. However, during the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed.
“All three crew members and eight persons on board disembarked safely, with no injuries reported,” she added.
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An eyewitness at the airport described the incident as frightening, noting that the jet experienced visible difficulty while landing before eventually crash-landing on the runway.
Flybird Aircraft Management Services Limited also confirmed the incident, describing it as an operational occurrence during arrival at the airport.
In a statement, the company said both passengers and crew members disembarked safely and no injuries were recorded.
“The flight crew followed all established operational and safety procedures, and the aircraft was brought to a safe stop,” the company said.
It added that the aircraft has since been secured and the incident formally reported to relevant aviation authorities.
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“The aircraft has been secured, and a detailed technical inspection and investigation are ongoing in line with regulatory requirements,” the statement noted.
Flybird Aircraft Management Services Limited reaffirmed its commitment to safety and operational excellence, assuring that it will continue to cooperate fully with authorities as the NSIB investigation progresses.
Meanwhile, NSIB disclosed that its Go-Team has been activated, and investigators will examine the aircraft systems, operational procedures, maintenance records, and crew actions to determine the exact cause of the incident.