ADC Flight 53 Accident + Investigation [Archive]

alghaita ganga

29th Oct 2006, 14:47

How can you call a crash in which reports say more than 100 people, including Sultan of Sokoto have died, a mishap?

Reuters on ABC reports:

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Last Update: Monday, October 30, 2006. 0:05am (AEDT)
Over 100 feared killed in Nigeria air crash
A Nigerian aircraft with more than 100 people on board has crashed shortly after take-off from the capital Abuja, media and emergency sources said.

The plane, operated by the Nigerian airline ADC, burst into flames and casualties were expected, a security source said. An airline source said there were 114 aboard, not including crew.

The Nigerian television station Channels said there were six confirmed survivors. The fate of the others was not immediately clear.

"It crash-landed after take-off. It was an ADC aircraft from Abuja to Sokoto with over 100 people on board," a source in the National Emergency Management Agency said, asking not to be named.

Airport officials prevented journalists from getting close to the crash site at the far end of a runway, out of sight of the terminal building.

Emergency vehicles, military trucks and ambulances drove onto the runway.

The airport departure lounge was still packed with travellers, many seeking information on their mobile phones.

ADC is a popular domestic passenger airline.

It was the third major air crash in Nigeria in just over one year.

-Reuters

BBC Reports:

The leader of Nigeria's Muslims was among those killed after a plane carrying about 100 passengers crashed near the capital, Abuja, officials say.
The Sultan of Sokoto Mohammadu Maccido and two senators were on board the ADC airlines flight to the city of Sokoto.

The plane crashed in a storm shortly after take-off, state radio said. It then reportedly burst into flames.

BBC correspondent Alex Last said witnesses at the scene believed there were four survivors from the crash.

He added that the task of recovering the dead was still under way.

At least 200 people died in two air disasters last year, leading many to question the safety of Nigerian planes.

After the disasters, several airlines were grounded while safety checks were carried out. ADC planes were not involved in last year's crashes.

Last month 10 senior army commanders were killed when their military plane crashed.

Another sad episode in too many of this in Nigeria.

Sympathy to all the families of those poor peoples who have died.

Flying Touareg

29th Oct 2006, 16:14

visited the crash scene.unfortunately, rescue operations is in shambles.There is no access road and many ambulances got stuck in the mud while trying to get to the site.At the moment, NEMA is using its helicopter to evacuate the bodies.

NDB17

29th Oct 2006, 16:19

Flying T, AK,

Any info on the guys flying the machine? As you know I was with them briefly.

alexmcfire

29th Oct 2006, 18:31

Seem like 5N-BFK, see http://www.dn.se/content/1/c6/58/44/49/NIGetta202.jpg
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0706486/M
RIP to all the unfortunate who lost their lives today.:(

surely not

29th Oct 2006, 19:04

A very sad day and my commiserations to all who are touched by this tragedy.

AVSEC

29th Oct 2006, 22:20

Anybody hear anything relating to ATC giving ADC pilots wrong wind shear speed?Gave 6 knots rather than 50 knots?rumours all over the place.

freefly_rulz

29th Oct 2006, 22:23

We fly from Enugu, and fly close to Abuja, and decided that we were not going to take off this morning at 09h30 (Accident happened 1 hour later) due to the bad weather in our area of operation.

What a tradegy!

NDB17

29th Oct 2006, 22:37

ABC news here in the states had a special correspondent who happehed to be at ABV at the time of the crash, and he said there was a blowing storm at the airport at the time of the crash.
I know the pilots in involved, very nice guys. Actually, the captain hepled me during my training with them.

AVSEC

29th Oct 2006, 22:38

Free fly rulz are you confirming this rumour?
You guys know the coditions you fly in.Info is supposed to have come from a Chaichangi pilot who landed or was just about to land in ABV before the accident a few minutes later.

AVSEC

29th Oct 2006, 22:43

NDB17 are you saying that ABC news confirmed bad weather occuring in the vicinity at time of crash?May our creator help the layman.
Can any of you so called fly boys confirm that if that was the case, whether six knots is the usual speed for wind shear in such conditions?

NDB17

30th Oct 2006, 03:49

AVSEC,
Affirmative.

Flying Touareg

30th Oct 2006, 06:34

Aviation Minister, Professor Babalola Borishade, yesterday pointed a finger of guilt at the pilot of the crashed ADC Boeing 737 aircraft, saying information available to him indicated that the pilot did not heed the directive that all planes should tarry for just ten minutes to allow a stormy weather clear before taking-off.
The crash had claimed the lives of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, the deputy governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Garba Mohammed, Senator Sule Yari-Ghandi, Senator Muhammed Maccido (son of the Sultan), and 96 others.
An apparently distraught Borishade, who arrived the crash site moments before the Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, said the Federal Government would get a huge equipment that could stop all flights at such times, stressing, “We would need the backing of the National Assembly to enact a law that will guarantee that”.
He said that there were processes that would be followed in dealing with the incident, pointing out, “Once we find out exactly what has happened and the report of accident investigation is made known to relevant authorities, of course, appropriate actions would be taken”.
“It is not the wish of the airlines that they would lose an aircraft”, Borishade said, adding, “The pilot took the decision and there are standard procedures; they will pay insurance; they will do a whole lot of things.
“There are a lot of sanctions that are waiting down the line. But then, what sanctions can replace the lives of people that are dead? There are no sanctions that can replace them.
“But we will continue to condole the families of those people that died. It is only last week that we marked the one year anniversary of a disaster like this, which was also traceable to the same kind of intransigence and poor airmanship”, Borishade stated.
The Minister however threatened that, “We cannot continue to do everything in the area of provision of infrastructure and various regulations and some little persons on their own discretion will continue to embarrass the country and set misery to the lives of people’s family. It is unfortunate”.

An impeccable source at the airport authoritatively told journalists yesterday that the pilot was warned by the Control Tower to exercise patience because of the bad weather but he was quoted as saying ‘God is in control.’
One of the passengers, who travelled with the plane from Lagos to Abuja, said he was still waiting for his wife to pick him when he and others at the arrivals hall saw airport officials running helter-skelter and the Fire Fighting vehicles running to the scene of the accident.
When THISDAY visited ADC’s office at the airport, officials wore gloomy faces and refused to entertain any question, saying Lagos has the responsibility to give information on the crash.

www.thisdayonline.com

IG Recovers Black Box

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, personally led the team that recovered the flight recorder box of the ill-fated ADC airliner.
The flight data recorder (FDR) is an object used to record specific aircraft performance parameters. A separate device is the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), although some recent types combine both in one unit. Popularly, though almost always falsely, known as the black box used for aircraft mishap analysis, the FDR is also used to study air safety issues, material degradation, and jet engine performance.
These International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulated "black box" devices are often used as an aid in investigating aircraft mishap, and these devices are typically one of the highest priorities for recovery after a crash, second only to bodies of victims. The device's shroud is usually painted bright orange and is generally located in the tail section of the aircraft.
Force Public Relations officer (FPRO), in an interview with THISDAY confirmed that, “He (IGP) personally directed the operation. The Inspector General of Police was in the forefront for the evacuation and recovery of the flight boxes. He was on ground coordinating the evacuation exercise. He personally recovered the flight recover.”

www.thisdayonline.com (http://www.thisdayonline.com)

GlobalFlyer

30th Oct 2006, 08:32

This clown should keep his mouth shut until an investigation is completed, including evidence.

I can't believe how selfish this guy is, quickly and frantically pointing fingers so prematurely just to repel any blame on his ministry.

Rani

30th Oct 2006, 08:44

A SIMPLE QUESTION:

Are pilots in Nigeria required to receive a clearance before Take Off, as per international regulations?

ANOTHER SIMPLE QUESTION:

Are pilots in Nigeria punished, in the event they take off without a clearance?

Can Nigeria and Nigerians honestly claim they deserve to pass the upcoming ICAO audit? When people like Babalola Borishade (the fingerpointing, incompetent man who refuses again to take any responsibility) are appointed Aviation Minister, is there any hope in this land? I thought so.

fokkerfellow

30th Oct 2006, 12:50

Our condolences from all at Arik Air

AVSEC

30th Oct 2006, 13:16

How sad that the Minister of aviation would make an accusation of guilt against the ADC crew without waiting for a thorough investigation and recovery of the black box.
It would be embarrasing if the black box should prove him wrong,wouldnt it?
I hope all pilots in Nigeria,with one voice tell him that he was wrong to make such a claim,no matter the reliability of his source until a thorough documented investigation had been done.

The finger pointing has started,and in the end only the Nigerian people will continue to suffer.

18left

30th Oct 2006, 14:36

boris has once more demonstrated his ineptitude and narrowmindedness,by accusing the crew of taking despite contrary advice from atc.
has he checked the xwind limitations of a 737-200?
if atc felt wx was that bad why did they not close the airfield?
boris must be congratualted for the fastest accident investigation known to mankind as he has concluded pilot error

lord rescue us from this guy and send him to a primary school to teach social studies or something.........

Rani

30th Oct 2006, 14:56

He should have been fired in Dec. 2005, when his true colours were revealed. Instead Olusani Abachanjo was too busy fencing with Atiku..

LongJohnThomas

30th Oct 2006, 18:23

Nothing had been found before Egbon Boris already opened his large mouth to spill what he apparently knows nothing about.:ugh: Pilot error was the first thing he spouted out!!!!! How is is that a minister makes such a presumption with no facts to back his story? Who advices these people?Those who should be fighting the cause of the Nigerian Pilot at large, spend their time trying to mess the others up!!!!!All in an effort to make themselves look good or better than the rest.
As said before, this IS all OUR fault!!!!!!!!!!!! F.A.O. Nigerian Pilots!
Unfortunate accident gentlemen, may the lord grant the souls eternal rest.

bdwa

30th Oct 2006, 19:14

Lord, have mercy on us. What Kinda of Country is this. This reflects the way things are in every sector of our dear Country.
Incompetent people heading different branches of the Govt. top down.
Why does baba not get competent professionals in charge. Instead, we let their wisdom and experence go down the drain.

worldpilot

30th Oct 2006, 19:48

First and foremost, may the souls of the lost lifes Rest In Peace!!!

Thereafter, though, I won't blame the ignorant minister for his comments. His reactions and comments reflect the way Governance, if at all, such can be ascertained in the Nigerian society, is being conducted. The leadership is so ignorant and irresponsible that, you feel sick when you listen to them.

It is really sad that the Nigerian society is still being fooled around by such elements. I hope that this hoepless situation will end in the near future.

RIP ADC 5N-BFK.

WP

V1_RHOT8

30th Oct 2006, 20:31

300+ souls lost in Nigerian aviation disasters in a year. With stats like that, our industry makes one re-think whether or not air travel is indeed the safest form of transportation in the world.
I was with a colleague listening to a radio show (this morning) which happened to mention the crash of yesterday. The show stated that the pilot refused (and I repeat, refused) to adhere to ATC instructions advising him of the bad weather and took off without clearance. The folks on the show were quiet for a moment before one of the hosts hollered "what is going on in Nigeria? Three crashes in a year? How can a pilot take off without clearance and blah, blah, blah." I'm sure you all get the picture.
I was shocked, embarrassed and appalled at what I heard, but what really ticked me off was what our Honorable Minister had to say about who was at fault and etc. Doesn't he understand one of the cardinal rules of accident investigation is never jump to conclusions, assumptions and probable cause(s) without knowing the facts. But then again I'm not surprised at his foolishness, after all this is the guy that said they couldn't find the Bellview black boxes because of its location in the cockpit of the aircraft, hence it is buried in the earth....(WTF people?????). Last time I checked black boxes were located in the tail section of an aircraft.
Nevertheless, we really need to address Aviation Safety in Nigeria or else it might come to a time when any flight could be someone's last flight. Enough of our "fire brigade approach." I'm sick and tired of promises by them to address Aviation Safety. They are all wind....and no rain. Is it that the law makers think they are immune to death from aviation accidents? Take a look back at the past accidents, were there or were there not law makers in them? This should be a wake up call to them.
I'm also using this opportunity to ask the forum, do our airlines back home have dedicated Safety Departments??? I have never seen ads on their WebPages hiring for safety. Are they forgetting that prevention is better than cure or Safety is no issue amongst Nigerian airlines?

My heart goes out to the bereaved families, God be with you all.

V1_RHOT8

Morphieus

30th Oct 2006, 22:05

This is first hand info from an airline captain who was there & watched the ADC aircraft take off:

ADC aircraft took off in very heavy rain. No lightning or thunder at the time.
Before the ADC aircraft taxied out, several aircraft on the ramp where heard on the radio saying they gonna wait for the weather to clear up.
Skies cleared up not too long after aircraft went down.

Also some more first hand info from somehone who overflew the crash sight about 45 min after it happened: Apparently there was not much of a crash trail, i.e there crash area was more or less the same size as the fuselage.
Plane was still burning with nothing much in terms of rescue equipment around it.

Lots of VIP's on board, pilots pressurised to get going without delay? Who knows...

bond7

30th Oct 2006, 22:12

This dude ought be ashamed...a kindergaten teacher wouldn't even come up with such remarks this dude so called minister of aviation came up with.

RIP TO ALL THE CREW N' PASS

NDB17

31st Oct 2006, 01:27

Fellow Ppruners,

Much as we feel the pain of another accident, let us not forget that there is a problem with the whole aviation system in nigeria. Despite what the minister want us to believe, the blame lies with every stakeholder in the system. From the incompetent authorities to the inept operators to us individual aviators.
This is an opportunity for us to come together and educate the public, let us write well informed write-ups and submit to the media particularly the print. We have to be proactive now, or we all congregate her , vent and nothing happens. We need to inform the public as to what the true state of the industry is. Boris and his cronies are the ones dictating public opinion at the moment. And what he is basically saying is that Nigerian Pilots are incompetent, thereby justifying what the so-called "andrew" was saying at the sheraton.
Let us remember, this is our lives, our careers and dreams these morons are toying with. We have to be ready to pay a price. Evil persists bcos righteous men refuse to speak up.
I was reliably told that bluetail's B767 pilots were being made to fly return trips to mumbai without any rest and recently a crew flew into los from mumbai and were made to operate the freetown-london route, without any break in between. Now tell me what kind of job security will make any respectable human subject himself to such abuse. People take such trash all in the name of job security and a paycheck, without thinking about the effects of what they are engaging in.
I understand bluetail is seriously under crewed, but he refuses to train.
Gentlemen, this is the moment, let us rise up to the forces of evil who are determined to turn us into minced meat.

MungoP

31st Oct 2006, 03:18

Come on guys...lets not overdo the protestations. Pprune posters are among some of the most guilty when it comes to speculation... Just take a look at the Brazil Mid-Air thread... up to 33 pages already... not postings, PAGES. Shock, Horror... African politicians are mostly incompetant.. well... never heard that before !
This Dingbat should most certainly have kept his mouth shut.... if only because within a few hours of the accident it makes sense not to excacerbate the feeling of horror and loss... But then African politicians are not the most sensitive of creatures. It maybe that he doesn't know the front end from the back of an aircraft unless he's watching it fly overhead but he would have had a verbal statement from those in the tower... and he should have access to the ATC tapes.
At this stage, if there's anything to keep in mind it's ... Don't screw around with CB's if you can avoid it. Now... let's wait for the investigation to offer up its findings.

LostAndFound

31st Oct 2006, 07:43

Why the plane crashed, by minister

</I>A MINUTE-BY-MINUTE account of how an ADC Airlines plane crashed last Sunday in Abuja was yesterday given by the Minister of Aviation, Babalola Borishade.
According to the minister, the crash, which was caused by inclement weather, could have been averted if the plane's pilot had heeded the advice of the Air Traffic Control.
Excerpts from the minister's statement reads:

The ADC flight originated in Calabar early Sunday morning, and flew to Lagos; it departed Lagos as a combined Abuja/Sokoto service;

At 1114 local time, the crew of the aircraft requested start-up clearance from Abuja Tower (Aerodrome Control); this was given along with the appropriate weather information;

At 1121, the crew requested clearance to taxi to the holding in and a wind check; both were given;
Over the following six minutes Abuja Tower gave a series of six wind reports, including a statement emphasising the gusty nature of the wind.

It should also be noted that the weather was obviously deteriorating in rain and gusty wind with heavy thunderstorms and lightning activity around the vicinity of the airfield, a well-known pattern for this time of the year;

At 1126, the crew of ADK 053 further requested clearance for immediate take-off, and the Air Traffic Controller re-emphasised the deteriorating weather condition and gave latest wind check, which they acknowledged;

At 1127, the crew of VGN 042 requested a wind check, and stated that their own estimation was "more like 35 knots". They opted to wait for an improvement in the weather. It is noteworthy however, that ADK 053 was still on the ground at the time and the crew must have heard this exchange;

Notwithstanding the Air Traffic Control advisory and the deteriorating weather conditions, the ADK 053 crew opted to proceed with the take-off;

At the time, NIMET (National Institute of Meteorology) were reporting a cloud base of 300m. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft entered cloud and visual contact was lost;

At 1128, Abuja Tower gave the ADK 053 their airborne time and directed the crew to contact Abuja Approach. This transmission was not acknowledged.

All efforts to raise a response from ADK 053 by air traffic control units in Abuja and Kano, and by other aircraft, were unproductive;

At 1132, the aircraft was declared missing and NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) was alerted accordingly;

At 1138, following a report from a local farmer of the crashed aircraft, the crash alarm was sounded and Search and Rescue operations launched;

Rescue units reached the crash site at about 11.53 with local farmers and villagers already at the scene helping with rescue operations;

The terrain did not permit access by large FAAN (Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria) fire tenders, but mobile units on foot were able to access the site and evacuate survivors and address a number of fires and commence retrieval of bodies scattered over a large area;

Survivors were initially brought to the FAAN Airport Clinic before being moved on to the National Hospital, Abuja; and

Bodies were brought to a temporary facility at the FAAN Airport Fire Station from where they were transferred to eight different mortuaries in Abuja.http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article05

The AIB has since gone to sleep.Borishade has done the job:confused:

LongJohnThomas

31st Oct 2006, 09:23

There you go boys, that sums it up.
Nigeria we hail thee!!!! Keep quiet and keep dying mates!
Good luck to you all.:ok:

MungoP

31st Oct 2006, 09:45

"At 1127, the crew of VGN 042 requested a wind check, and stated that their own estimation was "more like 35 knots". They opted to wait for an improvement in the weather. It is noteworthy however, that ADK 053 was still on the ground at the time and the crew must have heard this exchange; "

It would be interesting to know what the towers given wind estimate was...

Localiser Established

31st Oct 2006, 13:18

"This airport is equipped with the best forecast system in the world. It is the same weather forecasting instrument we are using here that is used at Heathrow airport in the United Kingdom" - Boris

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/october06/30102006/f230102006.html

How valid is this statement?

MostlyModerate

31st Oct 2006, 17:12

I suppose we should be grateful that the Minister is going to buy " a huge equipment that will prevent such aircraft from taking off " .
But he needs an Act of Parliament to do so ???????

Where do these guys come from ?

MungoP

31st Oct 2006, 17:44

"I suppose we should be grateful that the Minister is going to buy " a huge equipment that will prevent such aircraft from taking off " .
But he needs an Act of Parliament to do so ???????

Where do these guys come from ?"

Er..... Nigeria

Flying Touareg

31st Oct 2006, 21:30

This is becoming really annoying.I just saw this story:

Last Updated: Tue 31st October, 2006 7:31:24 amOBJ Orders Arrest Of NCAA Officials For Not Stopping ADC Pilot-PM NEWS, Lagoshttp://www.saharareporters.com/dn001.php?dnid=172
By Tony orilade/Abuja

President Olusegun Obasanjo has ordered the arrest of three officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for failing to stop the pilot of the ill-fated ADC plane that crashed on Sunday, from taking off. P.M.NEWS reliably gathered this morning that President Obasanjo was very angry when he heard the Minister of Aviation, Prof. Babalola Borisade, complain yesterday that human error caused the ADC plane crash as the pilot of the passenger aircraft defied orders not to fly the plane due to bad weather.

Consequently, the President ordered operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) to get three officials of NCAA arrested over their roles in the crash which killed 96 passengers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, two deputy governors, two senators and other prominent people. The President was said to have insisted that if the NCAA officials had played their roles very well, the disaster would have been averted because the pilot wouldn’t have taken off if they insisted that he must not fly.

The President was said to have ordered the arrest after he was engaged in a verbal war by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bello Masari. Masari was said to have expressed his anger over the spate of air disasters in the country, particularly the latest one that claimed the lives of many prominent Northern leaders. Our source refused to disclose the names of the NCAA officials arrested. The Sokoto-bound plane crashed at Gwagwalada on Sunday shortly after it took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The ADC operation licence was suspended yesterday by the federal government in the wake of the crash. A similar ban was placed on the company ten years ago when its plane crashed at Ejirin in Ikorodu, claiming the lives of all the passengers on board, including a political scientist, Claude Ake and some staff of Shell. That crash occurred on 6 November, 1996 and the embargo placed on the airline was lifted some months later." END

what has NCAA got to do with our airspace? NAMA officials have kept quiet since the accident happened.Maybe its because they know what really happened.But my bane of contention is that since the aviation minister has already made up his mind on the cause of the crash, teh accident investigation bureau has now been compromised.I dont think they have the audacity to refute the ministers claim if their investigations uncover another probable cause.I am really disappointed with manner at which things are becoming.It is sad and annoying.

oba_idan_amani

31st Oct 2006, 22:42

There are always chains of events that leads to an accident. Break the chain, and you prevent the accident. The minister of aviation should know this, or perhaps his advisors. The blame doesn't just lie with the pilots, how are we going to prevent this in the future should be the question. Its really sick that these so called ministers just keep on doing this. We have gotten it all wrong. God Bless Nigeria.

Oba Idan Amani

LongJohnThomas

1st Nov 2006, 00:06

Anybody ever asked if that airplane had complied with Boeings' AWD airworthiness directive on the rudder?
I guess no-one will; i know of two others that have not!!!!!
Keep flying boys, show them what you're made of!!!!
Keep mute and see what happens to you all, your jobs going to expats; will be the least of concerns eventually.
This is for those concerned, and they sure know themselves.

SCE to Aux

1st Nov 2006, 05:26

It's important that we don't jump to conclusions here but we all must be concerned to hear the suggestion that the NCAA or NAMA or NIMET should have the power to close the airport when there is bad weather in the vicinity.

These types of operational decisions can only be taken by the PIC. The responsibility of the controller and the met guy is to be sure the PIC has the best available information on which to base his or her decision.

The operator, and to an extent, the NCAA, has the responsibility of ensuring the PIC has the knowledge and experience to make proper decisions, using all available information.

Nigerian authorities could move out of step with the rest of the world, and give the poor controller the responsibility for closing airspace due weather, but what about other operational decisions?

MungoP

1st Nov 2006, 12:58

Abuja is not a grass strip with a 'Radio' service... it's an international a/p. Did the crew depart without T/O clearance ?

ak6181

1st Nov 2006, 21:33

If the weather was as bad as they claim it was, ATC reserves the right to close the airfield boys.
We all know the history of ADC, that aircraft and its serviceability is suspect.

AVSEC

1st Nov 2006, 22:27

Ak6181,your comment says it all.
If professional pilots flying in Nigeria can make this statement,then perhaps the Nigerian aviation industry needs to be swamped with expats so a new culture can be instilled.
Arik keep the flag flying.When I have to pass through the Nigerian aviation grave yard its Arik,or aero for me only.Sorry blue tail and VK,but cant risk it.

LongJohnThomas

2nd Nov 2006, 07:05

Take it easy man, no need to get all panicky.:ok:
We all need to support each other here man.

Revnetwork

2nd Nov 2006, 09:22

AVSEC,
Your comments say it all as well. Why should the Nigerian Aviation scene be swamped by expats before a different culture can be instilled? Nothing wrong with expats especially if they bring unique skills that are unavailable locally. Sometimes, it's not the culture but resources that are required. A lot of people within the system know what to do and how to do it.Do you know that the whole of the NCAA Airworthiness dept consists of only 24 surveyors and that includes the DG? Do you know that they are paid a paltry 50K a month?
As for Arik keeping the flag flying, I wish them well but they are just reharshing everything VK has done already. Nothing new. Why do you always have to divert the discussion in order to praise your paymasters? I would also think that with complete operational oversight of VK by VS, I know which of the 2 I'd choose. An airline supported by a big international carrier, or one that has less than a week's experience in the market.

ak6181

2nd Nov 2006, 09:57

Back to the point behind these posts, has anyone any idea as to what really happened to the aircraft???????
We should all keep our personal problems to ourselves. Lets stick to the business at hand.
What happened and what can we possibly do to avert a future occurence?
Cheers all.

Rani

2nd Nov 2006, 11:26

(CONTINUED NVESTIGATION THREAD IN OTHER POST "ADC Flight 53 Accident and Investigation)

Rani

2nd Nov 2006, 12:22

Tower Conversation Transcript

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Very chilling!
source: The Guardian (Lagos)

---------------------------------

Time Station Transmission Explanation Notes

10:14:30 A/C ABUJA ADK 053 request start-up -

- Twr ADK 053 roger UNH 1011, temperature 30 time 1015,
start-up approved

- A/C Start-up approved, could you say again the UNH and

temperature?

- Twr 1011,30

10:14:45 A/C Thank you sir!

- Twr ADL 053 Abuja Tower

- A/C Go Ahead

- Twr Confirm destination is Jos?

- A/C Sokoto!

10:15:00 Twr Roger

10:21:08 A/C Abuja ADK 06, ADK 053 request taxi?

- Twr ADK 053 cleared taxi holding position runway 22

A/C Holding position runway 22 ADK 053

10:22:22 A/C Abuja ADK 06, ADK 053 wind check?

- Twr The wind 210/08 variable at 8KTS - A/C Roger

10:22:35 Twr Wind South-Westerly now at 15KTS

- A/C Copied

10:22:47 Twr ADK 053 cleared Abuja – Sokoto in the UV224 to climb

and maintain flight level 260

10:22:59 A/C Roger ADK 053 cleared Abuja/Sokoto as filed level 260,

104-6 and endurance of 3 hrs 40 minutes

- Twr Say again souls on board?

10:23:18 A/C 104-6

- Twr Copied report-ready

- A/C *Pilot clicked microphone twice to acknowledge*

10:24:10 Twr Wind Southerly at 35KTS This is an unsolicited wind Report, indicating Tower's concern

- A/C Roger Crew offered no comment

10:24:32 Twr TWD 2401 cleared taxi ruy 22 roger -

10:24:38 Twr And the wind is southerly at 28KTS This is the 2nd unsolicited wind report

- A/C Southerly okay

10:25:04 Twr Affirmative 28KTS And a 3rd unsolicited wind report, expressing concern

A/C Okay sir, we’ll call you in a minute sir

Twr That’s gusty wind sir! This is a direct warning of poten- tial danger

A/C Yes Sir

10:25:40 A/C Abuja ADK 053 is ready for take-off

Twr ADK 053 the wind is south westerly at 5KTS

10:25:48 A/C Southwesterly at 15KTS cleared take-off ADK 053 confirm Sir?

Twr Negative, confirmed you are ready for repature now? This request for confirmation is unsual and represents a further naming

10:25:58 A/C Immediate, Ready Immediate

10:26:03 Twr Rogers ADK 053 in position cleared take off runaway

22 departs right on course the wind is 210 at 15KTS

A/C Cleared take off ruly 22 departure hightrn wind copied ADK (053) A/C Tower VGN 042

10:27:04 Twr VGN 042 Go ahead

A/C Please do you have, can you kindly give us the wind speed and direction?

Twr Wind speed indicated in the towers southerly at 15KTS

A/C It looks more like 35KTS to me This is Virgin Nigeria's attempt to draw ADK crews attention to the dangerous nature of the wind

A/C That is the tower indication, 15KTS now reducing to 12KTS A/C Okay standby, we'll wait for an improvement in the weather This is Virgin Nigeria demon strating the proper judgement and airmanship 10:27:30 Twr Copied

10:27:40 Twr ADK 053 airborne at 1029 contact approach 119-8 These timings reflect a slight this crepancy between the operational

block and the time injection on he ATC voice re order

10:28:30 A/C on ground ADK 053 Abuja is calling you

Twr ADK 053 Abuja Tower?

A/C on ground May be it is the weather

10:28:40 Twr He saw the weather before calling for take off

10:29:44 A/C on

ground I don’t think it is a big problem, maybe he is just battling with the turbulence

10:30:30 Twr ADK 053 Abuja tower

10:31:38 Twr ADK can you read Abuja

10:31:55 Twr ADK 053 Abuja Tower, how do you read?

10:32:51 Twr ADK 053 Abuja Tower, how do you read?

18left

2nd Nov 2006, 13:42

Less i need an eye test i do see i take off clerance issued by ATC, with wind at 15knot and almost aligned as a head wind

and an acknowledgement by the crew.
But the contoller who affirmed the prsent winds in his take off clerance now turns around to ask for wind from another aircraft?

Help me guys boris, insisted that he was advised not to take off,and that all the latest gadgets were available and servicable in DNAA,i guess the windshear alert system was unservicable??????? hicup,hicup :ugh:

18left

2nd Nov 2006, 13:53

[quote=AVSEC;
Arik keep the flag flying.When I have to pass through the Nigerian aviation grave yard its Arik,.[/quote]
They may pay your daily bread,but if you know how much confusion arik pilots have on a day to day basis with ATC,and how much they get lost sometimes,you might change those comments.I suggest you tell thier managment to always keep a nigerian in the cockpit with them otherwise???????

LongJohnThomas

2nd Nov 2006, 14:20

18L,
Well deduced. From all i have read here, there was more confusion than anything else!
If the control tower felt the weather was not safe from visual observations, they should have closed the aerodrome.
My suspicions lie with either that airplane or windshear, i may be wrong, but who has ever really recovered from windshear and come out to tell us for real that there was a laid down procedure to get out of it?
Though we are all taught a likely method to get out, it is my take that if it ever happens, its usually too fast and far too violent for any form of recovery; i stand to be corrected men???!!
Then again, like i said in the other thread (Another Plane Mishap), has anyone asked if that airplane complied with the Airworthiness Directives from Boeing?

Rani

2nd Nov 2006, 14:36

Seemingly, the tower gave out wind checks at intervals, at ADC and VGN request, and winds were approx. 10-15 kts southerly. The tower DID however go further and give 3 unsolicited wind checks confirming the presence of gusty winds (35 kts same direction) and that was confirmed by Virgin Nigeria 733 crew. The tower explicitely gave out "warnings", and apparently, so did VK, to the ADK crew!

The atc transcript is open to interpretation, but the underlining fact is that it was up to the pilot to take off or not, AT HIS OWN RISK, and up to his judgement and experience. With all the VIP movements and "nigeria factor" I dont think it's fair to blame the tower either for not closing the airfield....In any case, just prior to 10:20AM local the winds were predictable and the conditions quite ripe for a safe takeoff.

There are some published survivor's accounts telling of "severe vibration" prior to the crash. We can only speculate that was a STALL caused by the windshear and a lack of attitude+speed compensation by ADK crew. The loud "bangs" are still inexplicable at this stage though....Blackboxes will be revealing...

LostAndFound

2nd Nov 2006, 15:53

borisade has been removed as aviation minister and replaced with fani kayode .I guess this is what u call from frying pan to fire.we shall never learn.

MungoP

2nd Nov 2006, 17:05

Whether or not the storm in the vicinity of the airport proves to be the ultimate cause of the accident only the investigation will reveal... however... any pilot in the position of this crew having visual evidence of a storm close to the field and hearing widely varying wind pronouncements over a very short period should know that micro-bursts and resulting wind-shear are a very likely hazard to be found in the area. It's our job to know.

Taking off into those conditions in my book is a non-starter and any accident resulting from that departure could be said to have begun to happen even before the aircraft became airborne... if an accident did not result from the actions of the crew then it could also be said that it was blind luck that they got away with it.
Vibration... possibly approaching stall.... Loud bangs...probably compressor stall.

surely not

2nd Nov 2006, 19:26

Avsec you never cease to amaze me with the pure unadulterated drivel that you post on here.

Just what has VK done to make you lump them in with the rest of the pack? In case you really are incapable of reading for yourself please get someone else to read you the parts of the tower transcript where the VK pilot correctly assesses the weather conditions as too dangerous and delays his departure. It is immaterial as to whether he is an expat or a Nigerian, he made the correct decision.

Your anti VK ravings display that you are as capable as Boris the Shady of making pronouncements whilst having no grasp of aviation. Arik doesn't have any track record for safety yet as they have only just started operating (or have they started?) yet your blind loyalty to your paymaster leads you to post biased rubbish worthy of some of Nigerias worst newspapers.

Please stop posting if you cannot make informed and unbiased comments.

V1_RHOT8

2nd Nov 2006, 20:05

Hey Rani & MungoP

I totally agree with you guys on the stall and possible compressor stall. I also know that as pilots, weather is a major factor when it comes to making decisions. I'm still not clear why the ADC crew decided to proceed with their departure despite seeing the horrible weather that was in the vicinity. What ever happened to Situational Awareness (SA)???? From the ATC transcript, there was a lot of chatter between the tower and other flight crew regarding the weather. I mean I just don't get it, is there something the public doesn't know? Because when it comes down to it, the decision to push the throttle lies with the PIC/Capt. Folks, thunderstorms and windshear just don't mix well with airplanes.

PS: I was reading somewhere that the CVR has not been recovered. Read that only the FDR was found. How true is that? And how come it was after Boris made his statement the CVR wasn't found?

alghaita ganga

2nd Nov 2006, 20:34

What ullage :yuk:

LongJohnThomas

2nd Nov 2006, 21:24

Sn,
Please be kind enough to ignore the man. If he is incapable of making informed comments, then he's incapable.
'You can force a donkey'; you all know the rest.
Back to the point, whats new?:ok:

chuks

6th Nov 2006, 09:17

I once had a chat with an Abuja controller about his weather reporting.

I was flying Cessnas for Julius Berger so that I was often operating there. One day during the harmattan season we showed up and got a weather report of visibility just below minimums for the ILS. The only problem with that was that we had about three miles flight visibility in moderate dust haze. We could see the whole airport from overhead so what was this 700 metres or whatever it was?

Somehow or other we got the weather report we needed and made a normal landing. Then I got the driver to run me over to the tower. This was before the new terminal had been built so that they were still using that temporary tower.

The controller insisted that the visibility was 'not clear.' I pointed to the big yellow bulldozers at work up by the threshold of 22, saying that they certainly were visible and that was something like three kilometres away, was it not?

'Ah, but they are not distinct!' was his answer. I could only reply that they were 'prominent unlighted objects,' all he needed to establish the visibility even if it was a bit hazy.

After a bit of back-and-forth it came out that his concern was that if he cleared me to land giving the visibility as at minimums then a crash would be his problem. If he gave the visibility as just below minimums and cleared me to land at my discretion then it would not be his problem.

I could only reply that I had no need of help like this! To have good visibility reported as bad so that I was officially going to be busting minimums; that's just crazy.

If some Minister makes policy without thinking this over you will see the controllers naturally unwilling to do anything but keep flights on the ground in anything but CAVOK! What, they should blame the controller for not second-guessing the Captain?

I remember another time in Port Harcourt where the Tower Controller explained that he didn't want to issue clearance to land until he saw that my aircraft was 'properly positioned.' I pointed out that when the weather was down to minimums he wouldn't be able to see an aircraft on short final anyway, given the distance from the tower to there. Again, it seemed to be a well-meant way to add an extra layer of safety that just hadn't been thought through.

AVSEC

10th Nov 2006, 12:00

Capt. Manuvar

10th Nov 2006, 15:38

The ADK 053 accident is a really unfortunate and came at a really bad time for the company as they were on the way up. The company had acquired 2 X B737-300s on a 6 month wet lease from Europe that are supposed to be in the country as we speak but have been delayed due to suspension of the airline's AOC by his emminence Baba-Lover Boris Shady the first. The company had also bought 2 X B737-300s that are in about to be inspected and are looking for two more. Top management also claim to have ordered B737-700s for delivery 2 years from now, but na when i see dat one i go believe am.
The cause of the crash is still uncertain but windshear seems likely. An unconfirmed report from the crash site indicates that the thrust levers firewalled. ADC may get their AOC soon since most of the preliminary government investigations have not found the airline culpable. But they have an uphill task ahead of them when it comes to getting back their pax.
As for the abuja ATC, don't get me started. Unlike Lagos approach, inbound traffic must pass on all details to them on initial contact, then you must always remind them to turn you to hdg 180 or you'll go right through the localiser of ILS 22. Final at about 2 miles to touch down you have to ask them if it ok to contact the tower, switch over to tower only to find out that chanchangi has been cleared for takeoff. There is absolutely zero coordination between approach and tower and anybody else coming to think of it. Then in 800m visibility (more like 200m) they'll ask you to report runway in sight before they clear you to land.

MungoP

10th Nov 2006, 17:28

Capt. Manuvar
"An unconfirmed report from the crash site indicates that the thrust levers firewalled. ADC may get their AOC soon since most of the preliminary government investigations have not found the airline culpable."

Let me say again as I did in an earlier posting... we do not yet know the cause of this accident and need to wait for the final report... Having said that, if wind-shear proves ultimately to be the cause of the accident then the airline has to accept some portion of responsibility... on this particular day any pilot with only a very limited understanding of weather would, SHOULD have known that windshear was a very real potential hazard... The actions of a pilot deciding to depart the airport under the prevailing conditions must bring into question the training and monitoring of flight crew standards within the company.

The report will be some time in coming... let's not second guess the findings.

18left

11th Nov 2006, 08:17

Guys,with the recent revelations at the house committee for aviation,house of representatives,federal republic of Nigeria,we can see that Boris didnt know what he was talking about.
Somebody decieved the poor chap,and he went to press with it.

I am not against VK.17th of october with 15 minutues to go to land in Owerri the capt advised all pax to be prepared for emergency landing.
pressure was lost in the cabin,and the aircraft kept swerving and rising and falling erratically.This is true,but some how has not reached the press.
Aircraft stabilised five minutes to Owerri.
I want VK to get things right thats all.
African stake holders operating in West Africa need VK not just to succeed but to dominate the aviation markets in Africa,so we have a better bargaining position.

Aero appears to be the only safe one left with info I have recieved on this site about Arik pilots not knowing their way.Personally I think a lot of you have the knives out for ARIK.I believe ARIK will succeed despite the negativity that their competitors spout about them.
Aero and Arik are the only safe airlines in Nigerian domestic aviation.Fly with others at your own risk.

Ordinarily silence is the best answer for someone who is ignorant but as yours is extreme I want to save you from further embarrassment cos your comments shows that you are definitely not a pilot so i shall take it on myself to educate you
1. Vk has one of the youngest 737-300 fleets in Africa
2 aero and arik have one of the oldest
3. Some how items 1 and 2 are not in the press, humility on ones part but tear “rubber adverts” are in the press
4. Aircraft are susceptible to mechanical failure at any time,and that’s why a book called the abnormal/emergency checklist or,QRH,have you heard of them? Every aircraft has one; check your CRJ900 and 737
5. With less than 15 mins to landing as you quoted, I do not think that your description of loss of cabin pressure is accurate
6.no professional will count on the dramatic personae of passengers as most of them are sacred of flying already even if its “tear rubber”.so this” swerving” might be the three left turns passing port harcout to land owerri,and as for the aircraft rising and falling, this justs overshoots the upper limits of ignorance, how is a pressurization problem related to rising and falling aircraft, now maybe a rising and falling cabin.but I don’t think anyone who made a post like yours will understand what a this means.
7. Maintenance at vk is carried out by Lufthansa technik just like aero and I suspect arik
8. Incidents like this don’t go un investigated which means appropriate action was taken and crew commended for following laid down procedures, which means that the safety network is working well. Have you tested yours at arik? Or you have info on your hand to know that aeros is?
9. Roughly a month ago an aero aircraft took of and returned immediately after take off due a technical glitch, and they have had at leasts,four of such incidents in recent times which was not in the press? If we are to go by your measure of un-safe airlines does this not qualify?At least I do agree that aeros safety practice is well tested,is ariks?
10. check United states travel advisory, about air travel in Nigeria and pls tell me how you can convince an American not to fly vk ,hmmm is arik on the list? Aero is
11. vk has been through many tough audits by the big oil majors and now serve the oil industry as well as aero,have you passed a shell audit at arik?
12.virgin atlantic,a core investor has had years of experience in a safe reliable operation and the track record is there ditto with aero and schreiner,what track record do you At arik have?
Am on the roll but ill stop the lessons here for now

Pls let us deliberate on unbiased stuff so we can encourage a vibrant and safe industry where thousands are employed,but bashing serves no purpose,and I do wish arik all the best,I have friends employed there,but if you see me bash them it wiil be unbiased and impartial