Aircraft "lost" in Nigeria [Archive]

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Capt. Manuvar

14th Apr 2006, 16:08

Dotun

14th Apr 2006, 18:03

Hello Captain,
Over 11 hours in the air, do they have that much endurance ? Got your message, give us a shout.

Regards
DMan

IFR OnTop

15th Apr 2006, 15:30

Capt
Yes I was airborne when it went missing and was told by PHC approach if we could contact Bebi Airstrip (otherwise known as Obudu) if they had contact or saw the a/c. Apparently it dropped off Abuja radar 55miles out and was routing to Obudu (FIR Boundry) outbound. So I guess you can't believe in all what the papers say.
And I should know... when a reporter in Abuja connected to the task force set up by the Government in Nigeria in investigate the airlines after the two crashes, pointed and asked me as we were standing beside a 737, what type of aircraft it was.
It had "Boeing 737" written by the tail.:=

AN2 Driver

15th Apr 2006, 17:59

This is a story that was in the papers earliers this week. An Antonov AN-2 N1101G was routing Sokoto DNSO - Lagos DNMM and caused a bit of panic when it didn't arrive Lagos after many hours. The aircraft ended up in Mamfe Cameroun after 11:30hrs in the air. Apparently the a/c entered bad weather. But Mamfe is f#####g way off course. Anyone have any more accurate info on this incident? I saw the aircraft in Sokoto last weekend, has "AVOKI" on the side.

Ok, several things don't work for me on this one.

a) if this is an AN-2, there is NO WAY it can stay up for 11 hours unless it's got significant external tanks. The usual capacity is 1200 ltrs, it burns a good 300 per hour at the best of times, so that makes it 4 hours, maybe 5 with reduced power.

b) An AN2 under US Registration in Nigeria? In the US, as far as I know, they are not allowed out of the circuit due to some criteria by the FAA. How would one end up in Africa?

Soap Box Cowboy

15th Apr 2006, 20:00

In the states I've seen several AN-2's. But most are from Historical flight groups etc. I believe they operate under experimental flight rules so you can fly them all over but with a load of restrictions. Out side of the US the FAA seems to care little about N reg aircraft based overseas. The registration shown belongs to a Mooney, and that aircraft is currently still flying and registered in the states. So most likely not registered there unless the operators were stupid enough to try and get a fake US reg.

Flying Touareg

20th Apr 2006, 10:42

'Missing' aircraft used to smuggle teleoms' items
By Wole Shadare, Aviation Reporter
THERE was an indication yesterday that the Russian-made aircraft, Antonov T2 declared missing last week by the Aviation authorities, was not actually missing.

Sources at both the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Air Traffic Control told The Guardian that the aircraft was chartered by a leading telecommunication outfit to secretly "smuggle in some telecommunications equipment into the country."

The aim, according to sources who spoke on different occasions, was to avoid the payment of duties to the Nigerian Customs and Excise.

The NCAA source said there was no flight plan to the authorities by the operators of the aircraft to show that it was heading for Nigeria, one of the procedures of flight operations.

He however, said that the aircraft had discharged its contents at the cargo shed of the Lagos airport and departed before the authorities could fathom what had happened.

"It was a well-known fact that the plane had discharged its wares at the airport," he added.

An air traffic controller confirmed that the air craft indeed came to Lagos.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Roland Iyayi had told a group of journalists on Tuesday evening that the Federal Government had banned the Russian-made Antonov T2.

He said the behaviour of the two American pilots was unethical.

According to him, the American-registered aircraft shortly after departing Sokoto around 7.55 a.m last week, reported to Abuja airport control tower.

He explained that by the approved flight plan of the pilot, the aircraft was to land at Obudu before heading to its final destination in Yaounde.

Iyayi disclosed that all the airspace managers in the country had been notified of the development.

He stated that his officers were able to trace the aircraft with registration N1011G on Tuesday when the pilot asked for "start up " from an airstrip between Calabar and Cameroun.

He added that if not that the location of the aircraft fell within the territory of Cameroun, the aircraft would have been grounded and the pilot sanctioned for his unprofessional conduct.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article16

wfajobi

20th Apr 2006, 11:00

american registered/russian built/american pilots
did not know such a mix existed

LostAndFound

20th Apr 2006, 11:30

According to him, the American-registered aircraft shortly after departing Sokoto around 7.55 a.m last week, reported to Abuja airport control tower.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article16

i doubt if the pilots called abuja after getting airborne from sok.What happened to KAN0?

Soap Box Cowboy

20th Apr 2006, 13:26

Not American registered, if you look in the FAA database that registration belongs to a Mooney.

AN2 Driver

20th Apr 2006, 14:05

THERE was an indication yesterday that the Russian-made aircraft, Antonov T2 declared missing last week by the Aviation authorities, was not actually missing.

Now there's a surprise. Certainly he must have taken fuel at some stage. Question is what the meaning of Antonov T2 is... probably a 2T. Of course, with the performance these things have, they can't basically get in and out of everywhere....

Neat outfit... (fake) US Register, (fake?) US crew and what else?

Err, this was in Africa, you said? :\

Deanw

21st Apr 2006, 07:32

Out of interest, the 16 SOW of the USAF also operates the An-2!

AN2 Driver

21st Apr 2006, 13:13

Out of interest, the 16 SOW of the USAF also operates the An-2!

Wow. That's news to me. Any website or so where I can have a look at what they are doing?

As my forum nick shows I like that plane a lot, pleasure to fly and great fun too.

Best regards
An2

B Sousa

23rd Apr 2006, 01:10

Whats a 16 SOW??

Desperate Wannabe

23rd Apr 2006, 04:09

Special Operations Wing, they are based at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/

DW
Will Fly For Food

Yak97

23rd Apr 2006, 07:58

Did see:

6th Special Operations Squadron, UH-1N Huey, C-47, MI-8, C130E, AN-26 Advisors are tactically qualified in a variety of aircraft, including the Russian An-2, An-26, and An-32 transport aircraft, the Russian Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, the Spanish CASA 212 transport, the Chinese Y-12 transport, the French AS-332 Super Puma, the Canadian DHC-6 Twin Otter, the Basler BT-67, all models of the US Huey helicopter and several USAF C-130 variants.

So USAF operating An2's?

Also 2T would reflect the turbine version on the An2?

Desperate Wannabe

23rd Apr 2006, 16:19

Yep the SOW are the dodgy wing of the USAF, the fly anything, anywhere, anytime on seriosly clandastine missions, clandestine meaning.....you don't need to know.
And I quote "The 16 SOW specializes in unconventional warfare. At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense, the 16 SOW goes into action with specially trained and equipped forces from each service working as a team to support national security objectives. Special operations are often undertaken in enemy-controlled or politically-sensitive areas and can cover a myriad of activities"
http://www.hurlburt.af.mil/16sow/

It would not surprise me that the aircraft refered to in this thread is to do with the USAF SOW:D

B Sousa

24th Apr 2006, 01:59

How Ironic, just flew past there yesterday.........All these super places with all the whizzo stuff. I was so low on the water approach couldnt talk to me........(all legal, mind you)
Oh well.
In the last few years its not unusal to see all kinds of souveniers in the airways. . Mostly of Russian Manufactuer.......