Summary
- Abuja Airport was temporarily halts operations after a Cally Air Boeing 737 skidded off the runway, causing the nose gear to get stuck in soft ground.
- The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has labeled the incident a “serious accident” and has started an investigation.
- The runway closure resulted in flight diversions and inconvenience for passengers, as it took several hours to dislodge and tow the aircraft away.
Abuja Airport was temporarily shut down yesterday after a Cally Air Boeing 737 skidded off the runway. The flight – operated by Aero Contractors – had arrived from Lagos before its nose got stuck in soft ground.
Cally Air Boeing 737 stuck off runway
On November 12th, the aircraft – a Boeing 737-300 (registration: 5N-BYQ) – was operating flight N2219 from Lagos (LOS) to Abuja (ABV). After landing on Abuja’s runway 22 at 11:46 local time, the plane suffered a runway excursion while navigating taxiway A4.
Footage from the scene shows that the 737 Classic’s nose gear veered off the taxiway and got stuck in a “grass verge,” disabling it for several hours. Fortunately, no one was injured during the excursion, which the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has deemed a “serious accident.” Passengers onboard the plane reported a smell of burning rubber immediately after the incident before evacuating.
As reported by Punch, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NSIB, James Odaudu, said in a statement,
“The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified and has commenced an investigation into a serious incident involving a Boeing 737 with nationality and registration marks 5N-BYQ belonging to Aerocontractors Airlines, which occurred around 10:47 am (local time) on November 12, 2023. The aircraft upon landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from Lagos and in a bid to exit the runway via A4 had its nose wheel stuck in the grass verge with its fuselage on the runway.”
Additional footage shows airport officials literally attempting to dig the aircraft out of the grass with their hands, but to no avail. Reports suggest it took authorities several hours to successfully dislodge and tow the aircraft away, causing considerable disruption to airlines and passengers.
Runway closed, flights diverted
The NSIB’s Odaudu confirmed the runway was closed until the stricken aircraft was towed away. Several aircraft that intended to land in Abuja were forced to circle and consequently divert, many to Kano Airport (KAN), approximately 400km away.
The NSIB is soliciting further information on the accident and says it will release its preliminary report as soon as possible.
About 5N-BYQ
The aircraft is a 24-year-old Boeing 737-300 that began life under former German low-cost carrier Deutsche BA (DBA). It would later fly under Air Berlin and airBaltic before joining Cally Air in April 2021.
The extent of the plane’s damage is currently unclear, but it remains grounded. Nose gear damage is usually a straightforward repair process, so the plane is likely to be airworthy again.
Cally Air is a Nigerian carrier that launched in August 2021 – the airline is a joint venture between the Cross River State Government and DANA Group. It currently serves four domestic destinations in Nigeria with a fleet of two Boeing 737-300s.
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