Eight persons narrowly escaped death on Sunday following a landing incident involving a FlyBird aircraft at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State.
The incident has prompted a full investigation by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The aircraft, a Hawker 800XP operated by FlyBird Aircraft Management Services Limited, was on a non-scheduled domestic flight from Abuja to Kano when the incident occurred during landing.
FlyBird, in a statement, confirmed that the aircraft experienced an operational issue on arrival. The company noted that the flight crew strictly followed all safety and operational procedures, successfully bringing the aircraft to a halt and ensuring the safe evacuation of everyone onboard. No injuries were recorded.
The aircraft has since been secured, and a detailed technical inspection is ongoing in line with aviation regulations.
Confirming the incident, NSIB spokesperson, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, disclosed that investigations have commenced. She clarified that only eight persons, not 11 as widely reported, were on board, comprising two pilots, one cabin crew member, and five passengers.
According to NSIB, the crew reported an anomaly with the landing gear during approach and conducted multiple low passes to allow air traffic controllers visually confirm the gear position.
After confirmation, the aircraft landed on Runway 06 at about 10:34 a.m., during which the nose landing gear collapsed.
All occupants disembarked safely without injuries. NSIB has activated its Go-Team to investigate the aircraft systems, maintenance records, crew actions, and operational procedures.
The bureau emphasized that the investigation is focused on improving safety and preventing future incidents, not assigning blame.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
