NEAR CRASH OF CHANCHANGI AIRLINER RESURFACES

UNCLAS LAGOS 002595 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DAKAR PASS TO FAA ED JONES DOT PASS SMCDERMOTT, CWHUNTER, KSAMPLE FAA PASS FRAWLS III BRUSSELS PASS TSA GMOORE HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER PLEASE PASS TO TSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR PTER NI SUBJECT: NEAR CRASH OF CHANCHANGI AIRLINER RESURFACES QUESTIONS ABOUT AIR SAFETY LANDING GEAR FAILS TO DEPLOY; PASSENGERS SAFE -------------- -- ¶1. (U) Forward landing gear failed to deploy on a Chanchangi Airlines (Nigeria) flight from Port Harcourt to Lagos yesterday. According to report, the pilot of the Boeing 272 detected problems as as it prepared for landing at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA). Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) foamed the runway to reduce friction when the nose of the plane skidded on the pavement, while the pilot dropped remaining jet fuel into the Atlantic Ocean and instructed the 70-75 passengers to prepare for a rough landing. FAAN safety staff and firefighters were repositioned along the runway. The plane landed roughly but safely. No injuries were reported. LAGOS AIRPORT CLOSED FOR SEVEN HOURS; FLIGHTS DIVERTED -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) The flight forced closure at MMIA between about five p.m. and midnight yesterday. Most international flights were delayed and one flight to South Africa was cancelled. Incoming flights were diverted to Abuja, other cities in Nigerian and Accra, Ghana. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded all Chanchangi flights for the time being. A Chanchangi operations manager confirmed to us that FAAN inspectors, flight engineers, and safety control personnel are testing all Chanchangi aircraft today. The airline hopes to resume passenger flights tomorrow. and today is running test flights between Lagos and Kaduna with Chanchangi to check mechanical functions. FAAN contacts predict the airline will return to the skies by later this evening. KENYAN AIRLINER ALSO CATCHES FIRE -------------- ¶3. (U) This was the second of two incidents at MMIA on December 29. Six hours earlier, firefighters were called to the runway to extinguish a fire in the landing gear of a Kenyan Airwayslines aircraft as it taxied to the terminal. fire emanating from its landing gear. No injuries were reported. ¶4. (U) This is the third relatively close call in Nigeria in recent months of which we are aware. Four USG employees from AmConsulate Lagos were passengers aboard a Bellview Airlines flight October 31. After aborting landing due to high winds, the plane narrowly cleared a building at the edge of the runway. The plane then diverted to land on a different runway, in the dark with no runway lights. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: These incidents highlight the uneven state of Nigeria's domestic airlines. The domestic airline sector is very active, with numerous daily flights between the major cities of Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt alone. However, the civil aviation inspection system is weak, and compliance with international maintenance standards is probably low. Better regulation of domestic airlines is needed now more than ever, given the growth in domestic air travel. BROWNE