The black box and cockpit recorder of Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Beachcraft airplane, which crashed yesterday, have been recovered. Seven persons killed in the accident have been recovered and evacuated.
Lamenting the tragedy, President Muhammadu Buhari said he remained committed to the safety of the Nigerian airspace.
The aircraft, which was en route Minna, Niger State capital, crashed shortly after the perimeter fence of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Firemen attached to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) put out the fire in the after noon while officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were on ground
About 1:30p.m., a team of investigators arrived at the scene from the Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigerian (AIB-N).
Working with the Air force personnel, the investigators immediately mapped out the accident scene, examining and identifying body parts of the aircraft, which laid strewn around the crash site.
About 2p.m, all emergency rescue teams had completed their task and were ordered to leave the scene for investigators.
An eyewitness said the aircraft struggled for balance and began descending dangerously until it hit a mango tree close to a stream behind Bassa village close to the airport.
The pilot of the aircraft had reportedly complained of engine failure barely moments after taking off. A source at the control tower, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the pilot was advised to return to the Abuja airport immediately but it crash-landed.
_________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2021 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
