Aircraft on the road in abeokuta nigeria

[Flying Touareg]

Heard on the network news that a small aircraft enroute to ibadan this morning was forced to make an emergency landing on a road in abeokuta near lagos due to bad weather but later took off and landed in ibadan.
Anybody with information on the type of aircraft and operator and more details?

[oba_idan_amani]

Na wa o. I swear it wasn't me, the weather this afternoon was something else, am glad we made it home in one peace, I think the ITCZ is messing about with us in west africa. I will try and find out more about this tomorrow.

Oba Idan Amani

[Flying Touareg]

thanks oba. i m sure it wasnt beechcraft:p

[Flying Touareg]

Plane lands on Abeokuta road
By Charles-Coffie Gyamfi (Abeokuta), Wole Shadare (Lagos)

BARELY seven months after a Bellview Airlines plane crashed at Lisa in Ogun State, killing all the 117 passengers and crew members on board, another disaster may have been averted at Itori, also in Ogun State where a 10-seater craft made a forced landing on the highway.

The Media Assistant to the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, attributed the accident involving a 10-seater Brazilian plane with three crew members on board to bad weather.

According to Demuren, the light aircraft, which was on a mapping exercise, had run into bad weather and finding no airport on hand in Ogun State, made a forced landing on the ever-busy Lagos-Abeokuta highway.

He said however no life was lost, and that the aircraft had since been flown to Ibadan where it landed safely.

Also an witness said when the pilot of the aircraft marked Charlie 208 and belonging to Figorelly firm, which was heading to Ibadan, found out that it was impossible to continue the journey, because of the heavy rain of yesterday, he decided to bring the plane down...on the expressway!

But as Divine Providence would have it, there was no traffic, human or vehicular, at the time of the forced landing.

However, the incident threw the villagers into panic and confusion and many of them reportedly fled, only to return some 30 minutes later.

Two of the villagers, Mr. Adewunmi Eweje and Mr. Segun Akindele, who witnessed the incident, stated that at 2.35 p.m., they spotted the plane hovering around and a few minutes later, it crash-landed.


"The plane, after hovering round the village, descended so low that there was panic in the village and its surrounding.

"Suddenly, it landed on the road. But thanks to God that there was no casualty except for those who sustained light injuries," Eweje said, adding that the villagers and workers of the Julius Berger Camp later pushed the plane off the major road into the Berger Yard.

None of the three crew members in the plane sustained injuries, but two villagers and a commercial motorcyclist popularly called okada sustained minor injuries.

The Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, who was said to be returning from Ota where he had conferred with President Olusegun Obasanjo met the accident and members of his convoy were said to have assisted in calming the confused villagers.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Apapa, and the State Director of State Security Service (SSS) who were in the governor's convoy, were said to have provided security while the plane was pushed back to the expressway which served as a runway, it then finally took off again.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article02

[SIC]

So let me see if I get this journalist right.
First: A flying machine "marked Charlie 208" - must be a VAN with one of those privatised regs- "hovers around a village" - then again VANs dont hover so maybe not - waitng for "divine providence" to create a runway - which the divine then supplies in the form of a highway with its usual disregard for african villagers living on th side of this highway which then - "threw the villagers into panic and confusion" - and a few minutes later it "crash landed" injuring villagers and a local " commercial motorcyclist " - which must now be regarded as a more dangerous job than flying since if aeroplanes dont crash on your highway, villagers will surely run you over....however "no life was lost" - so maybe it did'nt crash land and - " it has since been flown to Ibadan where it landed safely" - which confirms that it did'nt crash land or if it did methinks the divine probable hovered it back to Ibadan or not or what.....

I wanna be a journalist in my next life:ok:

[Phenomenon]

Only in Africa!!! :eek:

Along the same lines, but a little off topic... ATC asked us this morning to hover at 10 miles with a "charlie 208".

Maybe they know something we don't... :}

[TheShadow]

Plane crash averted in Ogun
Abdul Musediq, Abeokuta - 08.05.2006


A disaster was on Sunday averted in Ogun State as a Brazilian jet crash-landed at Itori village, Ifo Local Government Area. The three foreign crew members on board escaped unhurt Itori, a few kilometres away from Lisa Village where more than 100 Nigerians died in the Bellview plane crash last year, witnessed pandemonium as residents were griped with fear when the 10-seater Brazilian jet crash-landed on Lagos-Abeokuta express road during a downpour.


The 10-seater plane belonging to FURGO was said to be heading to Ibadan with the three crew members only for it to crash-land due to bad weather. The road was free of traffic due to the downpour, a situation that prevented the jet from crash-landing on vehicles.


The villagers had earlier run away on seeing the plane coming down but later summoned courage after about 30 minutes to catch glimpse of the plane and also assist in pushing the plane to the nearby Berger Company’s camp close to the scene of the incident.


The convoy of governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, met the plane on its way back from Ota and assisted in getting the plane out of the major road in order to prevent accidents.


Also seen at the scene of the incident were the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Apapa and the state director of SSS, Mr. Muhammed Chiranchi, lending helping hands.


However, after it was clear that the weather was favourable for the flight, the crew members entered the plane and with 600 metres of the road cleared, the plane taxied and took to the air once more.
from
http://www.tribune.com.ng/08052006/news/news4.html

[Safe-T]

Vanguard newspapers says it was a 10-seater Cessna with a Brazilian pilot....


3 escape death as plane lands on expressroad

By Kolade Larewaju & Kenneth Ehigiator
Posted to the Web: Monday, May 08, 2006

ABEOKUTA – ANOTHER air crash was yesterday averted in Nigeria when a 10-seater Cessna plane made an emergency landing at Itori in Ewekoro local Government area of Ogun State with some motorists and Okada riders sustaining minor injuries.
The plane, which at the time of the incident, had only three crew-member on board was said to have made the emergency landing during the afternoon heavy downpour which impaired visibility.

The Brazilian pilot and the two other crew members, all male were said to be on their way back to Ibadan after their inability to land in Lagos.
The plane was, however, pushed back to the main road which it used for take off again after the emergency landing.
Two villagers who witnessed the emergency landing, Messers Adewunmi Eweje and Segun Akindele, said they noticed the plane was hovering over the village and shortly afterwards landed on the main road.

“The plane after hovering round the village descended so low that there was panic in the village. Suddenly it landed on the road, but thank God there was no casualty except those who sustained light injuries,” Eweje said.

Governor Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun State who was returning from a trip to Ota to see President Olusegun Obasanjo was said to have ordered his entourage convoy to join in pushing the plane back to the main road from where it took off at about 5.30 p.m.

[nozzle]

A very well done guys no injuries or deaths and no damage.
I will buy you guys a beer next time i see you.

[Flying Touareg]

Thought i should share this with the nigerian ppruners!


VIP Movement And Aviation Safety
The crash landing of an aircraft on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway at Itori town, Ogun State on Sunday May 7, further shows that all is not well with our aviation industry particularly the inability of the aviation agencies to manage aircraft distress, a situation that has resulted in quite a number of near mishaps and tragic accidents in the recent past.

In the latest incident, the question remains whether aviation managers adhered to internationally approved standards. The distressed aircraft was already within the precincts of the Lagos airport but it had to make a forced landing at the first available spot on the nearby expressway. The circumstances surrounding the incident should be thoroughly investigated and appropriate remedial actions taken.

According to reports, a 10-seater Cessna 208 one-engine light aircraft belonging to Fugro, a Canadian company with three crew members on board was on a mapping mission for the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. The plane was travelling to Ibadan from Lagos when it made a forced landing on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. The Media Assistant to the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren claimed that this happened because the plane ran into bad weather. Luckily, no life was lost and the plane was not damaged.

The Director of Air Transport Services of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Femi Oyediran, has however offered a different version of the incident. According to him, "the aircraft was airborne from Ibadan that morning operating initially at 500 feet AGL...and six hours fuel endurance. Bad weather prevented it from returning to land at Ibadan as planned, so they diverted to Lagos".

"Unfortunately, Lagos was closed due to VIP movement and having held the aircraft for about 30 minutes at a position some 30 nautical miles North-West of Lagos at 1350, the crew declared their intention to divert back to Ibadan where the weather had reportedly improved. At 1357, the crew reported two way contact with Ibadan Tower and was released by Lagos to continue with Ibadan. Emergency contact was reportedly initiated when the aircraft failed to arrive at Ibadan and there was no further contact". The pilot, apparently facing danger, had no choice than to bring the plane down at any convenient spot. NAMA's Director of Air Transport Services is perhaps in a better position to know the truth about the incident. His reference to VIP movement is especially noteworthy.

The frequent closure of our airports to allow a few privileged Very Important Personalities (VIPs) unhindered movement has become a source of embarrassment and danger to airline operation, air passengers and the general public. The practice, apart from making air travel unsafe smacks of utter insensitivity on the part of government and its policy makers.


Besides, it shows how little value is placed on human lives. In a previous editorial on this same issue, we had bemoaned the misguided closure of airports across the country for reasons of VIP movement without due safety considerations. For instance, during the two-day Conference of African Heads of State and Government in Abuja last year, commercial planes were prevented from landing and air travel in and out of Abuja was paralysed. Airline operators had a hectic time and the whole episode literally turned into a nightmare for many passengers.

Every now and then, all manners of VIPs move through different airports in the country. Flight schedules are disrupted; aircraft are kept on hold either on the ground or in the air, human lives are endangered. There is also loss of precious time by business people and other air passengers.

A single ill-advised decision to disallow an aircraft from landing could result in the death of innocent people. When this happens, the security and life of one VIP is placed over and above that of several other persons. The excuse of national security usually given for these actions cannot justify the irrational decision that could lead to the loss of many lives.

It is strange that the supposedly professional aviation managers at our airports would ignore all known international safety rules to close airports for as long as desirable thereby placing airborne travellers at risk. This oddity is allowed to take precedent even when an airplane is in danger and needs emergency landing clearance as in the case of the Cessna 208.

We commend the dexterity and professionalism exhibited by the Cessna pilots in bringing the plane down safely. It is disheartening that uniformed personnel in Nigeria behave like demigods. Innocent Nigerians bear the brunt of their recklessness and use of brute force even at the airports. While restricting movement at the airport, the aviation authorities should apply discretion, particularly where life is involved.

There are many countries in Africa and elsewhere where the presidents and other top government officials move freely about without any threat to other citizens. Responsible leaders need not be afraid of their own people. Aviation authorities should desist from toying with the lives of air travellers in an attempt to massage the ego of VIPs.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article01

[Treetopflyer]

This guy is way too smart to be a journalist... Nevermind, local authorities will probably jail him for what he just wrote anyways...:{

[B Sousa]

Must be hurting for news over there. Sounds like the Pilot did the right thing.

[FloatPilot]

It's disturbing to me that the media considers a precautionary landing an "accident", "crash landing" ect.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

The crew doing their job in a professional manner doesn't sell newspapers.:(

[flight1203]

Now someone should ask what the difference between that road and the runway.
i think the only difference is their location period!
im sure you dont get runway lights on the roads do u?

[Phone Wind]

1203
You obviously haven't travelled very extensively on Nigeria roads :E

[flight1203]

aw you r quite brilliant!
im a pilot remember??

[Phone Wind]

1203,
I guess you fly to work then? Lucky you.

[flight1203]

Oh how dumb am I :ugh:

[flight1203]

Ah! how dumb can i get!! :ugh:

you are right i havent driven so EXTENSIVELY on Nigerian roads maybe for the fact that my hotel isnt that FAR from the airport. :mad: thanks for putting me through


1203,
I guess you fly to work then? Lucky you.

[TomBola]

1203,
You seem to be hitting fairly hard on Phone Wind, but I have to say that I've had a look at a lot of your posts and you do come over as someone who doesn't know much about Nigeria as yet and are fishing for information. For example, you don't need to visit the Statoil website to know if they're currently operating in Nigeria - any member of the offshore helicopter community here will know whether we're flying for them or not. IOn fact, ACN still has one SA365N flying, which was registered as 5N-STO just for Statoil when they first arrived here. It's true that even though they had some minor local presence, they haven't been involved in any drilling programme here, except as a stakeholders in some joint ventures. The offshore scene in Nigeria is very buoyant in Nigeria at present, but for anyone other than an established operator, it's very difficult to break into as most oil companies, even new Nigerian ones, look at previous track records and carry out extensive audits of any would-be helicopter operator - probably because their financiers also require it.
Let's have some more details of your friend's proposed operations. Maybe he'll be lucky, but it sounds as if he has to do a lot more groundwrok on research into his proposed market.

[flight1203]

You are so true.
thanks for the information. yes, he really needs to do more research.
I was told that there is a huge monopoly going on by bristow and aero contractors in nigeria. and it is quite difficult to crack

my thinking is: based on the new oil companies going to be prospecting for oil in nigeria in the nearest future, they would require helicopter services from here to there. might not be a large fleet like the bristows

phone wind, i think he is ok. i wont bother him any more

[Stuck In Africa]

A very well done guys no injuries or deaths and no damage.
I will buy you guys a beer next time i see you.

Cheers nozzle, I bought the guys a few beers that night....;)
....and I'll happily accept any more on offer.:) For the guys of course.:E

The last post by Flying Touareg is surprisingly accurate!
A few of the details are wrong but so be it....

I'd like to say that the skill and professionalism of the PIC and 1st Officer displayed was truly first class.
They have been commended (privately) by the NCAA.
Company procedure was followed to the letter, you can be assured that all our procedures are at least world class, nothing less is acceptable.

We don't use dummies for Pilots, we operate in a unique operational situation flying low level survey, these guys are trained to fly as low as 200 ft agl all day and within strict tolerances to a few metres only.

There are issues within the Nigerian system, we make allowances for this.

Have no doubts, this was an example of truly professional flying against the elements and extraordinary conditions.:D

[Good Man In Africa]

Stuck In Africa,

Well said. If it was a helicopter that had landed due weather and just taken off again (as happens a lot during the wet season), nobody would probably have bothered to even report it. Good job. The right decision in a potentially fatal situation.