Nigeria plane crash 'caused by dual engine failire'

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The 3 June crash of a Nigerian airliner that killed 159 people was due to ''a total loss of power in both engines while on approach to Muhammed Murtala Airport (LOS), Lagos,'' according to the preliminary report of the accident, released by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

But the report did not say what caused the two engines to fail.

It however ruled out fuel contamination as the cause of the failure, adding: ''Preliminary analysis of fuel samples from the refueling truck and the supply tank at ABV (Abuja) were negative for contamination.''

Local media reports had speculated fuel contamination as the cause of the engine failure.

AIB said the flight crew declared an emergency at 1542:10 local time, indicating “dual engine failure . . . negative response from throttle.”

The investigators said the findings were based on the examination of the two flight recorders, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR), at the facilities of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington, D.C., adding that it would continue with a more ''meticulous and methodical'' investigation.

''Future investigative activities will include, but is not limited to, the detailed examination of the engines, further testing of fuel samples, continued factual gathering of relevant historical, operational, maintenance and performance information of the accident airplane in addition to other similar airplane models, further development of the background of the flight crew, further analysis of the CVR audio recording and review of pertinent issues associated with regulatory oversight,'' AIB said.

The MD-83 plane that was operated by DANA Air crashed in a residential area about 5.8 miles north of the economic capital city of Lagos.

Apart from killing all 153 passengers and crew, the crash also killed six persons on the ground.
-0- PANA SEG 13July2012