Enugu Air Assures Passengers After Runway Excursion, Credits Crew and Rain for Safe Outcome

Enugu Air has reassured passengers of its commitment to safety following Thursday’s runway excursion involving one of its aircraft in Benin, saying the expertise of its pilots and wet ground conditions helped prevent a major accident.

The airline’s Flight 4264 (5N-ENR) overshot the runway after arriving from Lagos, but all 63 passengers and five crew members were evacuated safely.

Speaking on TVC News, Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager Captain Tolu Ita said information provided by the flight crew showed the aircraft followed a normal landing profile before failing to stop despite deploying its braking systems.

“It was a normal profile, landed on the runway and deployed brakes and reverse thrust but the plane did not stop. Of course, they ended up exiting the whole runway and ended up in the bush. After stopping, they carried out a normal emergency evacuation.”

She said Enugu Air had completed its preliminary internal investigation and would submit its report while continuing to cooperate fully with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which is leading the official investigation.

According to Ita, the aircraft’s flight recorder, commonly known as the black box, will provide investigators with critical information about what happened.

She maintained that the incident should not overshadow the airline’s overall safety performance.

“Since we got our Air Operator’s Certificate, AOC, on March 10 and we started operation as Enugu Air on March 16, we have done and successfully completed over 3,500 flights. One flight out of 3,500 flights is not enough to define an airline.”

The CEO noted that runway excursions have occurred at several established airlines, adding that such incidents alone do not define an airline’s safety record.

Commenting on the circumstances surrounding the incident, Ita said the crew’s handling of the situation, together with the rainy conditions and grassy terrain beyond the runway, may have helped prevent a fire or more severe consequences.

“Yes, pilot technique, the pilots were amazing. But I could also say the fact that it was raining probably helped. And then the grass prevented sparks. Because what you need is just a spark. But the fact that the surface was not hard, that smoothness on the grass kind of tempered it. That is my opinion, by the way.”

She reaffirmed that Enugu Air remains committed to maintaining high safety standards while awaiting the outcome of the NSIB’s investigation.

Africans Angle News