 The accident aircraft while still in operation with TAROM, seen here in 1992. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 4 May 2002 |
| Summary | Engine failure due to pilot error |
| Site | District of Ungwar Maja, Gwammaja, near Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Nigeria 12°01′30″N 8°30′30″E / 12.02500°N 8.50833°E |
| Total fatalities | 103 |
| Total injuries | 51 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | BAC One-Eleven 525FT |
| Operator | EAS Airlines |
| ICAO flight No. | EXW4226 |
| Registration | 5N-ESF |
| Flight origin | Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Nigeria |
| Destination | Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria |
| Occupants | 77 |
| Passengers | 69 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 73 |
| Injuries | 4 |
| Survivors | 4 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 30 |
| Ground injuries | 47 |
EAS Airlines Flight 4226 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Kano to Lagos, Nigeria. On 4 May 2002, the aircraft serving the route, a BAC One-Eleven 525FT with 69 passengers and 8 crew members on board, crashed into Gwammaja Quarters, a densely-populated residential area located approximately three kilometres (1.9 mi; 1.6 nmi) from the airport, and burst into flames, resulting in the deaths of 66 passengers and 7 crew. In addition, at least 30 civilians on the ground were killed.[1][2] With a total of 103 fatalities, Flight 4226 is the deadliest aviation accident involving a BAC One-Eleven.[2]
The Nigerian Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau attributed the disaster to pilot error. The aircraft overran the runway and rolled for a few hundred meters. Dust kicked up by the plane's wheels was ingested by the engines, limiting their ability to deliver power. The extended landing gear further aggravated the condition, and the aircraft eventually crashed due to the compromised airspeed. Due to the absence of usable flight recorders, the reasons for the crew to accidentally overrun the runway could not be determined.[3]
- ^ Edomaruse, Collins; Okechukwu Kanu (2 May 2002). "Nigeria plane crash kills 74, toll could rise". This Day. Nigeria.
- ^ a b Ranter, Harro. "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 21 April 2005.
- ^ "CIVIL AVIATION ACCIDENT REPORT No. 382" (PDF). Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau. 26 November 2002.