Still ruminating over June 3 plane crash in Lagos

Still ruminating over June 3 plane crash in Lagos

We had just finished our International church service Sunday June 3 at the Big Walnut Park Shelter House, 5000 E. Livingston Avenue Columbus, Ohio, United States at about 11.55am and which should be about 4.55pm in Nigeria when I got a call from Lagos of the unfortunate crash of Flight 0J 992 Dana Air. I was silent for a while because of the shock and the caller on the other end kept saying ‘Hallo, are you there?’ I was still on line but the impact was too shocking for me to respond. Eventually, I spoke and other things followed. I am yet to put things together on this unfortunate incident but I decide to run the frequently asked questions from Dana Air on what happened on that Sunday June 3.  May the Lord continue to take care of the families left behind by the departed in the plane crash.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Flight 9J 992 Dana Air accident on 3rd June, 2012.

Q. 1: What was the cause of the accident? Was the black box found?

The cause of the accident is not known at this time.

 An investigation is currently being conducted by the (Nigerian) Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) with technical assistance from the US National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB). Dana Air is cooperating fully and assisting the investigation in every way possible.

We can confirm that the ‘Black Box’ Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder from the aircraft were found on Monday, June 4 by the joint team comprising the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). We hope this will swiftly provide information about the cause of the accident.

Q.2. Were there any survivors on the aircraft, and how many bodies have so far been recovered? How many passengers were on board?

Very sadly, there were no survivors. The process of recovering bodies from the crash site is continuing and, as at the last update, 151 bodies had been found. Further updates will be provided as we receive them.

The aircraft was carrying a total of 146 passengers and seven crew.

Q.3. How old was the affected Dana Air aircraft and what is the model?

The Boeing MD83 aircraft, with Registration Number 5N-RAM, is 22 years old. It had flown 60,846 hours and made 35,219 landings. The aircraft has been maintained correctly and fully in accordance with the manufacturer’s schedule and directives from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The aircraft entered service with Dana Air in March 2009.

Q.4. There is a statement credited to a staff of Dana Air alleging that the aircraft involved in the crash was not serviceable. What do you have to say about this? Is this the same aircraft that recently had total loss of hydraulic pressure as reported in the media?

The allegations are totally false and baseless.

At Dana Air, the safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and we adhere strictly to the maintenance schedule of all our aircraft as prescribed by the manufacturers, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCCA).

The aircraft involved in the accident had its last 400-hourly check (A-Check) on 30th May, 2012. The statutory annual maintenance (C-Check) is not due until September 2012. The Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the NCCA after the last C-Check was completely valid as at the time of the incident.

This is not the same aircraft that had the hydraulic pressure issue that has been referred to in some media reports.  Each aircraft is identified by its registration number and, while the aircraft that operated that flight had Reg. No. 5N-SRI, this one has Reg. No. 5N-RAM.

At Dana Air, safety is paramount. Dana Air has a maintenance agreement with MyTechnic - an international, world-class aviation maintenance organisation (MRO) which is located at our Lagos base. It performs and supervises all local maintenance tasks including the daily servicing and release of our aircraft for operations. Our heavy scheduled maintenance checks (i.e. C-checks) are done by leading MRO companies overseas.

Q.5. We observed that Dana Air is not currently operating flights.  Is this deliberate?

On Monday, 4th June a decision was taken by Dana Air management not to operate any scheduled flights as a mark of respect to the victims of the crash and their families. We have not only lost some loyal and valued guests of our airline, but some our finest and most dedicated staff too. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of the deceased in these difficult times, and we will continue to do everything possible to assist them.

Dana Air’s operations were subsequently grounded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. We understand that this is standard procedure following an aircraft accident, and we are cooperating fully with the NCAA as they perform checks on our operations. We hope to quickly and conclusively demonstrate to them the paramount importance we place on safety, and how a safety-first culture is at the heart of our airline.

Q.6. What steps have the airline taken so far to assist families of the victims in identifying and recovering the bodies?

Within a few hours of the incident, we launched a 24-hour call centre service and set up a dedicated information centre manned by experienced personnel at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) in Lagos. We are also in constant contact with the recovery team at the crash site, and are coordinating with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital to ensure every possible assistance is given to the friends and families of the victims.

Q.7. What is the status of compensation payments?

A: Our insurers, a London consortium, are already well advanced in this process, and the first (interim) payments should be made shortly to the families of those passengers who lost their lives. Also urgent steps have been taken by the insurers to identify the families of the Iju-Ishaga community and establish the extent of the losses to enable appropriate calculations of the compensation to be made.

Q.8. Is Dana Air aware of the NCAA rules governing the age of aircraft?

A: Yes, and all of its aircraft are in full compliance with those rules.

Q.9. What are you doing to assist those whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the accident?

We are doing everything possible to assist the 40 residents who have been displaced. We are arranging temporary accommodation for them, and providing them with materials such as beds, blankets, provisions and utensils.

Q.10. Does the age of Dana Air’s MD83 fleet make them unsafe?

No. Safety is of paramount importance at Dana Air, and the age of its Boeing MD83 fleet does not make them unsafe. Indeed, there are aircraft of a similar age (21-22 years old) operating in the fleets of major airlines around the world.