6th October, 2013
Simon Ateba/Aviation correspondent
The Associated Airline plane crashed less than three minutes after taking off last Thursday in Lagos, southwestern Nigeria, the country’s accident investigation agency said on Sunday.
The Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, said in a statement that investigation into what caused the Brazilian made plane with 20 souls on board to come down within minutes has been launched.
“Flight recorders of the ill-fated aircraft have been recovered and will be downloaded at the Bureau’s newly installed flight laboratory at its Abuja headquarters. The readout of the recorders has commenced,” said Captain Mukhtar Usman, AIB commissioner.
The agency said the plane crashed less than three minutes after take-off from Runway 18L of the Lagos airport.
“There were six survivors as at 05 October, 2013,” Usman said, confirming reports that one of the survivors had passed on.
He said Associated Airline is a Nigerian registered domestic airline, which operates chartered and scheduled flights in the country.
The AIB has also begun investigation into the incident involving a Kabo Air B747, which occurred in Sokoto on Friday.
This is contained in a statement by the spokesman of the Bureau, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, on Sunday in Lagos.
The spokesman said that the aircraft carrying Saudi Arabia bound pilgrims was believed to have burst tyres on landing.
“AIB investigators have been dispatched to conduct investigation into the circumstance surrounding the incident with a view to determining the probable cause,” the statement said.
Oketunbi said that AIB was charged with the responsibility to investigate aircraft accidents and serious incidents within the country and where Nigeria interest was represented.
“AIB’s investigation is not to apportion blame or liability but to prevent future recurrence and improve air safety through safety recommendations,’’ he said.