LH A330 overrun in LOS

[Rani]

News sources indicate it was the brand-new D-AIKH.
Some blame faulty hyraulic system, others a deep pothole on 18L.
This gives a total of 5 overruns in 2 months.

[B Sousa]

"Some blame faulty hyraulic system, others a deep pothole on 18L.
This gives a total of 5 overruns in 2 months."

If I were a gambler, I would opt for a pothole. If I drove heavy Iron and there was no pothole, I would see to one being dug before the boss found out I had broken his airplane.

5 in 2 months, as most here will say, "Yea, but its Africa." As if its expected that the accident/incident rate is acceptably off the scale.

[Rani]

FAAN had stopped progress payments for the 18R resurfacing project.

Either they failed to eject and replace the under-performing contractor or they think relying on a stretch of pot-holes is acceptable and in the process wait for a time bomb to go off.

My VERY favorite quote:

"We can't afford to get messed around by pilots"
-The Incompetent Minister of Aviation, B. Borishade

[Oyindo]

"We can't afford to get messed around by pilots"
Will we be expecting now a banning order by the minister, of those poor pilots or even a compulsory sim check on the new pothole avoidance procedure for the rest of us?
The Government must get their thumb out of their a$$ and get 18R up and running ASAP before lives are lost. I can imagine what the outcome will be if the emergency procedures and services are put to test. Beware of litigation FAAN, it is an expensive business. Getting 18R OPEN SOON MAY BE THE CHEAPER OPTION. A word is enough............
:{

[Engine Noise]

A nigerian daily carried this:

A LUFTHANSA aircraft yesterday, skidded off the Murtala Muhammed Airport runway, after its front tyres burst due to some pot -holes on the only functional runway of the airport.

The aircraft's front tyres were said to have burst shortly after touch down on the runway 18L, forcing it to skid off the only functional runway.

The runway was closed for about an hour before it was removed from the spot of the incident.

The aircraft, an A330-300 from Frankfurt was en route Lagos and Accra, Ghana.

The airline while manouvering destroyed some navigation equipment around the airfield.

Lufthansa yesterday in Lagos confirmed the incident stating that the incident caused a damage to the aircraft, which ultimately grounded it.

According to Mr Kayode Olaniyan, the airline's spokesman in Nigeria who spoke with The Guardian on phone 'Lufthansa flight Number 564 from Frankfurt landed safely in Lagos this evening. As it was moving to the gate a damage occurred to the aircraft. This will require that Lufthansa technicians come from Germany to repair the damage. Nobody was injured and an alternative arrangement has been made for all the passengers flying to Accra to take them to their destination.'

Olaniyan who declined to explain the nature of damage to the aircraft said 'I cannot speculate on the extent of the damage until the technicians come to examine the aircraft.'

A source, who went to the scene said the incident happened around the area rainwater normally gather, which he said has caused a big pothole in the middle of the runway.

He said although the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had patched the spot, it was not properly done adding that the incident occurred between exit three and four of the runway.

A source said the control tower was already alerting pilots on the part of the runway that was bad although the source added that FAAN had quickly patched the pot-hole.

This brings to four the number of near air mishap that has occurred in less than two months. Two domestic airlines' aircraft and foreign cargo plane have overrun the runway within the last two months resulting in closure of the runway for hours.

The state of the Lagos runway has become a serious concern to operators and pilots who have insisted that unless urgent action is taken sometyhing more serious may occur.

Penultimate week, an Air France aircraft with 196 passengers on board ran into a herd of cows on touch down at the runway of the Port Harcourt International Airport. The airport was closed for about eight hours.

A domestic operator, however, faulted the fire brigade approach of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) adding that pilots are not magicians. FAAN has been accused of collecting huge fees from the users without adequate maintenace of its facilities.

Meanwhile, South African Airways said it had suspended all international flights because of a strike by its cabin crew and ground staff that began on Friday morning.

It called on passengers to postpone their travel plans or make alternative arrangements.

[EDDNHopper]

Glad to read that there were no injuries!

The runway was closed for about an hour before it was removed from the spot of the incident.

Simply remove the runway: The Nigerian way of solving problems? ;)

[SASless]

The report must be a hoax....."navigation equipment on the airport damaged"???

We are talking about Lagos International right?

The Lagos in Nigeria?

Shame on them Lufties for "messing around"!

Why can they not dodge potholes in the dark?

Pilot error....yep...right....uh huh!

[Rani]

Looks like the Virgin Nigeria flight 281 bound for London is cancelled. Way to go FAAN, very conducive for the "Lagos Hub" project. Clean up your act for safety first.

[BAKELA]

Meanwhile, South African Airways said it had suspended all international flights because of a strike by its cabin crew and ground staff that began on Friday morning. It called on passengers to postpone their travel plans or make alternative arrangements.Like choosing more leg space in the wheel well? :{ And when you get to the US you don't need to bug about customs & irritation, we'll drop you off on approach!

[RevMan2]

Gets better by the minute..... This from www.thisdayonline.com


BA Plane Unable to Land in Lagos, Diverts to Abuja
By Samuel Famakinwa and Crusoe Osagie, 07.25.2005

A British Airways aircraft from London last night had to be diverted from Lagos to Abuja due to inability of the plane to land safely at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
The British Airways Boeing 747-400 aircraft, was said to possess very huge landing gears and therefore too big to land on the Lagos Airport runway, which has experienced no less than five landing mishaps in the last few months.
Though other smaller aircraft could land on the runway larger ones in the league of Boeing 747 will be risking a major disaster if they dare to land on the Lagos runway.
The runway is said to have degenerated rapidly due to the repeated crash landings that have occurred on it in the last three months. About three weeks ago a cargo plane belonging to Almiron Aviation of Uganda overshot the runway; the same thing happened to Lufthansa German Airlines last Saturday.
A British Airways spokesman who confirmed the development to THISDAY yesterday explained that it was to ensure the safety of their passengers that the had to divert the plane to Abuja, stating that it was a risk too much to take if they attempted to land the aircraft in Lagos.
However some of the passengers to leave for London last night on the BA flight had to be taken to Abuja on a chartered Aero contractors flight, which will also bring some of the Lagos bound passengers who were on board the diverted BA flight to Lagos.
He added that the diverted aircraft was not able to fly out last night due to what he described as crew repositioning and so the crew that will fly the aircraft will arrive this morning on another BA flight.
Some passengers who did not travel last night will go on another flight that will take off today.

[klink]

The runway is said to have degenerated rapidly due to the repeated crash landings that have occurred on it in the last three months.

Sure.

[RevMan2]

Well, if you repeatedly crash land with very huge landing gears, it's bound to stuff the runway, innit?

[SASless]

Hang on here....I thought Chuks was on time off....there could not be that many hard landings if that was the case?

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Sas,

I think Chuks is on site at the moment, that's why we haven't had any pearls of wisdom for a while. But I'm sure we won't have long to wait !! Looking forward to it !!

Last time I was in Lagos it looked like PW had stopped work on the runway, something to do with release of funds (a familiar story sadly), so it looks like one step forward. two steps back for DNMM and their efforts at international recognition.

Cheers,

NEO

[Rani]

Every new day with the status quo is a recipe for disaster!!!:ugh:
Then it could get severely ugly for their PR (if any).

Think about it, everything so far is a backyard picnic when imagining other real scenarios (perhaps a skid followed by ground a/c collisions).

If human life is of any worth to FAAN or sensible airline, then a/c weight should be restricted to say A321 until 18R resurfacing is complete. AON could make a lot of money carrying the pax to/from ABV and PHC.


:( :( :(

[SASless]

NEO,

Reckon ol' Chuks will "drop in" on us and share a yarn? He does enjoy "bouncing" a good story off us now and then.

[DBate]

6. Lufthansa A330 damaged in Lagos landing incident
David Kaminski-Morrow, London (25Jul05, 12:15 GMT, 225 words)

German flag-carrier Lufthansa is assessing the damage to one of its Airbus A330s after the aircraft was apparently struck by runway debris as it landed at the Nigerian city of Lagos.

Flight LH564 had touched down normally following a service from Frankfurt on 23 July but was badly damaged by debris sucked up from the runway surface as the aircraft decelerated.

“[The pilot] applied reverse thrust and braking and some pieces of concrete from the runway hit the aircraft,” says a spokesman for Lufthansa, adding that the A330 was unable to reach the gate under its own power as a result of the incident.

He says that the carrier suspects the aircraft has been “severely” damaged but stresses that none of the passengers on board was injured. A technical team is to fly the twin-jet back to Germany for repairs.

Many of the passengers had been bound for the Ghanaian capital Accra, the onward sector of the flight. Lufthansa chartered an aircraft to transport passengers from Lagos to Accra.

Lufthansa has started using Airbus A340 aircraft for the Lagos services because, it says, the relatively higher mounting of the A340’s engines will reduce the risk of a recurrence.

Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport has suffered a number of setbacks in recent weeks, the latest involving a cargo aircraft which overran the runway on 13 July.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

[gac111]

Grapevine says that BA will be bringing a 767 into Lagos until further notice due to concerns with the 747 using the runway.

They diverted to Accra on Saturday and to Abuja on Sunday because of these concerns.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Sas,

Not sure when Chuks is due for release, but it can't be too long so we can expect some gems soon.

You planning a return visit anytime soon ? They're paying good day rates these days I hear.

Shame about Lagos, things were looking so promising. Don't suppose the American operators will be coming in the near future.

Cheers,

NEO

[SASless]

NEO,

I will be in Redhill later this week on other business...I would stop in at Bristow there but I fear my voluminous treatise to the Mandarins there upon my exit last may have trod upon some sensitive toes. I made the mistake of believing they were serious when they asked for a critique of the Nigerian situation which existed at that time. Despite many of my suggested improvements having occurred I think maybe I was a bit too frank and honest for my own good. I am sure I took off some of my own toes while waxing so eloquently. They certainly have not been sending any Christmas Cards since my departure. I know some there would welcome me back and others would be consulting the chicken bones and animal parts trying to conjure up some serious Ju-Ju to hex me with.....I would certainly entertain returning to the fold if they ever decided all was forgiven but the chances of that are mighty slim. I am in a dead heat with a particularly nice South African fellow who also incurred the Mandarin wrath upon his last exits from the warm embraces of the new OLOG Bristow....seems neither of us fit into the desired mold.

There is one in HR that I would not accept tea from...for fear of being poisoned.....likewise....he should avoid any dark alleys I happen to spend a night in as well. If I returned...I am sure it would be to a posting where French would be required....and we all know how that sequel would turn out. Being a man of my word....I hate to leave promises unkept and having my retirement made....I can afford to look straight ahead without worrying about the future.

It would be fun to see my old friends again....and even some old enemies...lots of good folks out there and lots of good times. Having both friends and enemies marks a full life...at least one knows it was not without involvement. I would love to sit beside Chuks again and stir that small pot about and see the results. He is always good for a chuckle as are some others.

Keep yer noggin on a swivel....

Give my regards to the bossfellah at PHC....and the Geriatrics in Warri!

[Deanw]

AIR CRASH RESCUE NEWS:

July 26, 2005 - Lufthansa Plane Overrruns Runway in Lagos

LAGOS, Nigeria - Less than three weeks after a cargo plane belonging to Uganda's Almiron Aviation overshot the Lagos runway, another plane owned by Lufthansa overrran the runway on Sunday at the touch down zone (the same spot where the former happened) of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

THISDAY checks reveal that the plane wearing the inscription- A330 Airbus -with registration number D/AIKH had overrran the runway following a sudden hydraulic problem which it developed with its system, forcing it to land. It was while landing that the same runway where temporary repairs had been effected last week, gave way immediately because the repairs were just make-shift arrangements which had no enduring features.

It was gathered that the plane which is a 300 series had a total of 193 passengers on board, includng four infants. The breakdown showed that while 78 plus 2 infants were Lagos bound, the remaining 115 and two infants were Accra, Ghana bound. The A330 was flying straight from Frankfurth, Germany. Sources said no live was lost and no one sustained injuries in the incident.

It would be recalled that about two weeks ago, the same Lagos runway was overshot by a cargo plane reportedly owned by Uganda's Almiron Aviation, exactly a month after a similar incident by Chanchangi Airlines and EAS Airlines,respectively.

The aircraft in question at that time with the inscription, "Natali" was sold January 2005 to the new Ugandan cargo airline, Almiron Aviation, and before commencing operations in April 2005, was parked at Entebbe, International Airport for about four months. Its first operation was from Dubai to Lagos and the aim was to operate in Europe, Asia and the rest of Africa.

But yesterday's incident which occured at about 5 pm paralyzed activities at the Lagos airport for over one hour. Rescue team was said to have arrived later from the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) which cleared the runway before normal business was restored at the airport.

Sources hinted THISDAY that immediately the plane had problems with its hydraulic system, a situation which caused it to overrun the runway, the mood of passengers on board was tense as they scampered for safety while the plane was emmitting smoke from its hydraulic system, fuelling fears that the plane was about to be engulfed by fire.

Said a source who witnessed the incident: "Inmmediately the thing happened many passengers scampered about for safety because there was smoke because of the problem the plane had with its hydraulic system. So it took about an hour to tow it away. It has been cleared now and normalcy has returned to the airport as I am speaking to you now."

It was gathered that temporry repairs had indeed been carried out at the the very spot where yesterday's incident occured. Aviation Industry sources said that the potholes at the touchdown zone of the lagos runway were repaired last tuesday and wednesday, respectively by FAAN officials. But they were just temporary arrangements.

The Aviation industry has been hit by tales of woes in recent times. For instance EAS Airlines had on June 11, 2005 overshot the runway at the Jos Airport while Chanchangi Airlines also overshot the runway in Lagos June 12, 2005.

Similarly, barely three weeks ago, some cows were shepherded across the runway at Port Harcourt airport, leaving an Air France pilot with no other option than to ram into them.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) which oversees the nation's airports have complained seriuosly in the past that there is need for far-reaching repairs at the nation's airports. There are 22 airports scattered across the country, 18 of which the Authority says are not viable and have to be sustained from revenue generated from the viable four which are Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

[Engine Noise]

Lagos Airport major runway shut for repairs

THE only functional runway of the Lagos Airport will be shut today for repairs.

Minister of Aviation, Prof. Babalola Borishade, who disclosed this yesterday also gave the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) the mandate to sanction any operator or service provider who errs on safety issue.

The minister disclosed that the newly completed ISR runway will be used by airline for only day operations as it lacks airfield lamps.

The implication of this is that both domestic and foreign airlines will make use of the runway only at day time, pending the complete patching of potholes on the closed runway.

Speaking to reporters at the NCAA's Ikeja head office after deliberations with parastatals' chiefs, Borishade noted said after re-patching the bad spots, it would be allowed to dry before the runway is reopened to traffic.

However, a notice to airmen (NOTAM), according to the spokesman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Alhaji Adamu Abdulahi, has been issued by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to both domestic and foreign airlines on the closure of the ISL runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

According to him, the time was chosen because that is when normal flights are operated.

Abdulahi stated that the management of airlines like Emirates Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Virgin Nigeria, Virgin Atlantic went to the runway to certify it.

Explaining the incident involving a Lufthansa flight 564, which ran into a pothole at the runway, the minister said, "the place was repaired and by coincidence, the plane landed on that same spot before it dried. All the engineers were there at the runway yesterday and we agreed that we want to repair it. By tomorrow, everything will be fine. But the long term is that the second runway, we have finished marking it. We will start to use that for daylight flight."

He, however, admitted that the spate of incidents recorded at the nation's airports were not encouraging and was capable of denting the nation's image.

His words: "All these incidents are challenging to us. All hands must be on deck. I have come to let NCAA know that they have responsibility to ensure that we don't wait for incidents to happen before we regulate. We must anticipate things before they happen and things that are likely to happen and prevent them from happinging. This is a learning process for us and I believe that with what has happened we have become a bit more conscious of the kind of role this organisation should do in the enforcement of sanctions".

Meanwhile, media consultant for Lufthansa German Airline Mr. Kayode Olaniyan has refuted media report that the airline's aircraft LH564 overran the runway on Saturday.

Rather Olaniyan said the aircraft from Frankfurt landed safely on schedule on runway 18th of the Lagos airport last week Saturday, stressing that some broken pieces of concrete on the runway surface hit the aircraft 1700metres from threashold of runway 18L, causing damage to some hydraulic pipe and the landing gear.

The aircraft, an A330-300, according to him, was later towed to its parking position, with no one injured while all passengers disembarked safely.

He added that subsequently flight LH564 to Accra and LH 565 Accra-Lagos-Frankfurt were cancelled while passengers to Accra were flown to their destination in a chartered aircraft, while flight services to Lagos and Accra, he reiterated, resumed on Sunday with the deployment of an airbus A340.

In a related development, officials of British Airways yesterday defended the action of the airline by diverting its Lagos flight to Abuja.

The airline stated that the nature if its equipment a B747 aircraft, considered very big could re-open the patched sport of the runway and as such would compromise safety.

The airline has, however, deployed B767 on the route which is considered much smaller than the jumbo B747.

For the operators and pilots, it has been a harrowing experience as the fear of recording incident becomes more palpable.

Once it is raining pilots have to decide which landing procedure to adopt to avoid disaster.

According to industry sources, when the runway is wet, pilots have opted for hard landing in which the aircraft is banged on the runway to reduce the speed and avoid overrunning the runway.

This, however, goes with the risk of losing one or more tyres.

The other landing procedure is the normal procedure, which entails that the pilots would contend with the problem of aqua-planning and the attendant risk of overrunning the runway.

The airlines lamented that when there is an incident as a result of flooded runway, pot hole or incursion it is the airlines that get the negative publicity, the financial implications and the adverse effect on their payload.

A source close to the ministry told The Guardian that NCAA had submitted damning report on the runway that indicted FAAN to the Ministry of Aviation and would have sanctioned the airport authority but was prevented by the former aviation minister.

[SASless]

Well now...I owe Chuks an apology....seems he was just staying trained up for rainy day landings. I should have known his professionalism was at work ....seems I am amongst those that sell this gentleman short.

Beers on me Chuks!

[crewrest]

Anyone got an update on how the repair between 1000-1400 went yesterday (27th July)

I loved, that once the runway closed, some VFR air-test traffic announced that taking off on the taxiway was fine by him.

What a place. :}

[RevMan2]

"The bu66eration factor is high and growing in this part of the world!" Denis Thatcher.

How true.

DAIKH flying ferry back to FRA today or tomorrow, I hear.

[chuks]

I heard about a certain Super 727 with a single-digit callsign having to line up off-centre for a Lagos 36R departure, to miss this very Lagos pot-hole, which had everyone laughing. I guess no one stopped to think that it might be dangerous, but then we have mostly adjusted to local conditions, with local expectations.

For instance, I used to look at those herds of cows drifting across the approach path in Port Harcourt and take that as just part of the scene. I guess I never bothered to ask myself if they all spent the night with their parking brakes engaged. As it was, Air France just spoiled their airplane without hurting anyone except those wayward bovines, but it could have been a real disaster . They actually had the right-hand wheels on the right-hand MLG out in the dirt, which must have been rather sporty.

Things are visibly crumbling under the strain at both Lagos and Port Harcourt. Lots of fine words, not much action. Want to bet the Lagos contractor is stalling until they get paid for the work? Even if it is an Irish company....

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Welcome back Chuks !! As you can see, Sasless owes you beers (but since you don't drink I suppose I'll have to have those and you can have a soda water), so how's tricks ??

I haven't heard of any state of the art, cutting edge of technology German planes running off any runways, why might that be ? Special tyres perchance ?!!

Cheers,

NEO

[chuks]

Not much does but the other day, as we were departing Port Harcourt....

You guys know the difference between a fairy tale and a 'sea story', right? The one begins, 'Once upon a time...' and the other begins, 'Now this is no sh1t...' So don't say you haven't been warned!

We were departing DNPO for Lagos with a left turn out, the long way around, to cross the VOR at FL070 or above. So far so good.

I was flying, so that I did all that jet pilot stuff they tried to teach me in school, using ROL mode to get turned around towards the fix and then going into heading select, meanwhile checking that we would make our crossing altitude by climbing in VFLCH.

There were two little blue blips on the TCAS which I blithely took for no big thing, since they appeared to be lower than us. Then with just 3.6 miles to run to the fix Approach told us that we needed to cross at FL090 rather than FL070. Huh?

Ah yes, a closer look at the blips showed a possible conflict. Turns out an inbound had been given the same crossing altitude.

Hmm, what to do? I had plenty of speed in hand so that I just got rid of the autopilot and pitched up. We crossed at FL090 plus with a 'TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC' TCAS alert and the traffic just 800 feet below us. I guess I misread the altitude of that traffic as 'minus' when it was 'plus' and missed the potential conflict.

There was very little time to play with the autopilot to make it climb the aircraft for us, so that is probably just as well that I do like to keep my hand-flying skills up.

This sort of thing happens all the time, actually. When you try to explain to Approach just why there is no separation between aircraft on different radials close to the fix, you often hit this barrier of total incomprehension. You are on the 280° and he is on the 320° so how can there be a problem if everyone is following orders? At five miles? Doh!

We had sighted the deadly Port Harcourt bovines the evening before the Air France cow strike, and we reported them to the tower as present on the approach end of the runway. They promised to 'do something.' Well, whatever got did wasn't enough, obviously. And this was not some big deal, 'Cows on the runway! Sound the alarm!' but just, 'Oh yeah, okay, thanks and cleared for takeoff.' That attitude almost cost a lot of people their lives, actually. Yet here it was treated mostly as an occasion for cheap humour.

Everywhere you look at most Nigerian airports there are bits crumbling, since years now. I remember when I first started flying out of Lagos, when every morning would see flush lights unbolted and carted away to be melted down for scrap value. Nowadays both Lagos and Port Harcourt have a certain gloomy quality at night, when you have to really know the place to miss the holes and find where you are going. God only knows how some stranger would be expected to operate there on a night arrival.

Even shiny-new Abuja has painted lines fading out with no one bothering to restore them. And a set of 'Stop' lights on the taxiway that until recently remained permanently lit, so that you had to either break all the rules and cross them or else sit there and wait for a few months.

There is some screwed-up mindset at work one could call false pride. The locals will not fix the problems but they certainly will not allow ICAO, for instance, to send outside experts to fix things for them. The infrastructure has gobbled millions in wasted investments while remaining very, very unsafe.

I like to think I 'know where the rocks are' but I could probably be caught out bv something overlooked. So how about someone who hasn't flown there for over 20 years?

The place is a high-profile accident just waiting to happen. You know, rip the gear off in an unnotified pothole, veer off the runway and send a fully-loaded airliner up in flames.

Come to that, the Hydro Air Cargo 747 has been left parked at the main terminal in Lagos, right out in plain view, ever since the accident. It is not as though these folks feel that they have anything to be embarassed about! All around Nigeria there are wrecked or junk aircraft parked right there on the ramps.

[oneeyed]

'Cows on the runway! Sound the alarm!' but just, 'Oh yeah, okay, thanks and cleared for takeoff.' That attitude almost cost a lot of people their lives, actually. Yet here it was treated mostly as an occasion for cheap humour. \

as sad as the whole situation is at least one good thing came out of it - the rapid succession of events did cost the Super Self Acclaimed Chief Aviation Satety Officer the ex-Honouable Minister of Aviation Mallam Isa Yuguda his job. Kudos to a great achiever.

But Nigeria being what it is there is nothing bad that couldn't become worse. After the Mallam now a Professor - that had already a shot at it before and was capable to demonstrate in a matter of months (when he was in the same seat at first) that he has nothing to offer.

I just hope that one day someone will get serious (may by that's wishful thinking) until then I wish all of us that nothing fatal will happen and we will all get out of the mess unhurt.:sad: