The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has issued four immediate safety recommendations following its preliminary investigation into the July 23 runway overrun involving an Enugu Air aircraft at Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, Edo State.
The recommendations, contained in the Bureau’s preliminary report released on Friday, were addressed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), with emphasis on the runway-end environment, control tower line of sight and availability of meteorological information.
The accident involved an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft, registered 5N-ENR and operated by Enugu Air Limited, which was conducting scheduled passenger flight ENU4264 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin.
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According to the NSIB, the aircraft landed on Runway 05 at about 2:55pm with five crew members and 63 passengers on board, but subsequently overran the end of the runway and entered the unpaved area beyond it.
The aircraft struck approach-lighting installations and two fixed concrete structures associated with a decommissioned localizer installation during the overrun.
Despite the impact, the NSIB said all 68 occupants were evacuated from the aircraft without injury through the emergency escape slide.
The preliminary findings are based on factual information gathered by investigators so far, including witness statements, flight recorder data, air traffic control communications and an initial inspection of the aircraft.
The Bureau, however, stressed that the investigation is still ongoing, with further technical examinations being conducted before definitive conclusions can be reached.
The safety recommendations issued at this stage are identified as A-2026-039 to A-2026-042 and are intended to address potential safety concerns identified during the investigation.
The NSIB said the recommendations cover issues relating to the environment beyond the runway end, visibility or line of sight from the control tower and the availability of meteorological information needed for flight operations.
The Bureau also released a preliminary recreation of the aircraft’s flight path based on data currently available to investigators, as part of efforts to improve public access to safety information surrounding the accident.
It said the release of the preliminary report and flight path recreation was consistent with its commitment to transparency and the communication of aviation safety information.
The NSIB cautioned that the preliminary report should not be interpreted as the final determination of the causes of the accident, noting that the information contained in the document remains subject to further review and analysis.
The Bureau said findings could change as investigators obtain and analyse additional evidence.
The final report, it added, would contain the Bureau’s conclusions and any additional safety recommendations arising from the completed investigation.
The NSIB further stated that its investigation was being conducted in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which provides that the primary objective of accident investigations is the prevention of future accidents and incidents.
It stressed that the investigation was not intended to apportion blame or establish liability.
The July 23 incident had raised safety concerns after the aircraft ran beyond the runway at Benin Airport following landing, although there were no reported injuries among the 68 people on board.
The latest preliminary report therefore shifts attention from the immediate outcome of the incident to the safety conditions surrounding the runway and the operational information available to flight crews and air traffic controllers.
The Bureau said the preliminary report has been made available on its website for members of the public and the media, while the flight path recreation video has also been released to provide further insight into the sequence of events based on information available at this stage.
The NSIB urged caution in interpreting the preliminary findings, reiterating that only the completed investigation will establish the final conclusions and determine whether further safety measures are required.
