Investigation Launched as Another Plane Overshoots Ibadan Airport Runway

The Federal Government has dispatched officials to the Ibadan Airport to investigate the crash-landing of a private jet that occurred on Friday.

An anonymous source within the aviation industry, speaking on condition of anonymity, verified this information to NewsNow.

The jet, which departed from Abuja to the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, experienced a crash-landing around 11am on Friday.

The aircraft, registered as N580KR, veered off the runway into a nearby bush.

Fortunately, there were no reported fatalities.

NewsNow learned that a team from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had been deployed to the airport to assess the situation.

However, when contacted, the General Manager of NSIB, Tunji Oketumbi, stated that he could not provide immediate details of the incident.

“I do not have the details at the moment, but once available, we will communicate,” Oketumbi told NewsNow.

Another source familiar with the matter at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority informed one of our correspondents that the details of the incident were still unclear.

The source mentioned, “The investigation team is in Ibadan to examine the cause of the incident. We are awaiting a full report from our officers present at the airport. Once we receive the report, we will officially communicate the details.”

However, the spokesperson could not confirm the number of persons aboard the private jet.

Airline incidents in Nigeria have been a cause for concern, with numerous accidents and crashes over the years.

On November 3, 2023, a private jet operated by Flint Aero and carrying the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, crash-landed near the Ibadan Airport in Oyo State.

The incident occurred at approximately 08:21 p.m. after the aircraft departed from Abuja at 6:41 p.m. on the same day.

In a December 2023 report, the NSIB revealed that the operators of the private jet involved in the Ibadan Airport crash, Flints Aero Services Ltd, lacked essential night flight experience.

According to the report, the flight crew was licensed and qualified for the flight, but the Captain had only accumulated 49 night flying hours.

“The aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and was programmed for an RNAV approach using the autopilot, which was cleared by the ATC.

“The aircraft touched down in the grass verge on the extended centerline of the runway, about 220 meters from the threshold, and veered progressively right of centerline runway 22 on entering the paved area until a point 156 meters from the runway threshold, crossed the right runway shoulder and entered the grass verge.”

However, a source revealed to one of our correspondents that there were around 10 individuals, including Very Important Personalities, aboard the aircraft.

NewsNow learned that rescue officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria as well as firefighters were promptly present at the site of the incident.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Carol Adekotujo, confirmed the incident and stated that there were no casualties.

“Yes, it happened. It was just a minor incident. The jet skidded off the runway. It was a private plane from Abuja. It landed safely but overshot the runway. There was no casualty,” she said.