Crash-landed Nestoil jet. Photo Credit: Nairaland
Abuja – An air mishap was averted on Thursday as an aircraft operated by Nestoil lost its landing gear and two tyres while landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
It was learnt that the aircraft, which had nine persons on board at the time of the incident, skidded off the runway as two of its back tyres pulled off when it touched down at the NAIA.
Sources and passengers at the airport told our correspondent that the development led to the closure of the runway for over an hour, as hundreds of travellers had to wait at the terminals of the airport for the aircraft to be cleared off the runway.
An eyewitness narrated the incident thus, “The number of the aircraft is 5N-DTF. It was a chartered flight and as it landed on the tarmac, it lost two back tyres on the right side hand side and ran into the bush. This happened at exactly five minutes to 3 pm and up till this moment (4.30pm), the runway has remained shut.
“The number of souls on board was nine and these include seven passengers and two crew members. Nobody sustained any injury as a result of the incident, but the plane plunged into the bush as its tyres pulled off immediately it landed on the runway.
“As the two back tyres on the right side pulled off immediately it landed, the pilot was able to control it in order to avoid a crash. We also gathered that the aircraft lost its landing gear. The runway has been closed and no flight is taking off or landing right now. The terminals are full of passengers who are waiting for their flights.”
The incident was confirmed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which stated that it closed the runway after the aircraft lost its landing gear while touching down at the facility.
FAAN said in a statement issued by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu, that the runway was closed for 30 minutes.
It stated immediately after the incident, “FAAN wishes to notify passengers and airport users that the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will be closed for the next 30 minutes.
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“This is to enable the Authority to take safety precautions, as a private jet being operated by Nestoil has just skidded off the Abuja runway. The aircraft lost its landing gear in the process but all hands are on deck to put the situation under control, and normalcy will be restored within the hour.”
It later announced the reopening of the runway for flight activities.
With reports from Punch.
