Reps calls for urgent need to investigate claims of aircraft engine failure
By Tom Okpe
The nations’ House of Representatives has called for immediate claims of engine failure of aircraft/air-birds departing from Abuja, Kano, and Port-Harcourt to safèguard the lives and properties of Nigerians.
The House at its plenary on Wednesday Notes that on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 140 air passengers including the Emir of Kano and 90 others flying with both Max Air and Aero Contractors aircratts respectively, escaped fatal accidents and possible deaths as they separately departed Kano and Port Harcourt Airports for Abuja.
In a motion filed by Bala Sani Umar, from Kano, the House also notes that the Max Air plane with registration number VM1645 which was scheduled for takeoff by 1.30pm had delayed for about 30 minutes before departing, only to escape air crash, just as Aero Contractors’ Boeing 737-500 with registration number 5N-BKR encountered bird strike, 10 minutes upon take-off and eventual|y returned back to base.
Umar felt concerned that there are allegations of negligence on the part of the airliners in applying safety precautions leading to these accident threats.
He is also concerned that according to a passenger, “despite the echoing of a large strange sound at the point of take-off by the Max aircraft the pilot and his crew dismissed any feeling of insecurity and took off.”
Aware that in view of several issues of contiict between birds and aircrafts causing accidents and deaths, best practices ensure the use of Bird Strike Avoidance Radars to avoid such unfortunate situations.
Umar is disturbed that bird strikes is increasingly becoming recurring incidents in our airports with reports suggesting more of these cases prevalent at the Aminu Kano International Airport (AKIA), Kano.
Desirous to alleviate air accidents resulting from engine failure and bird strikes in order to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians.
The House however, resolves to: “Mandate the Committee on Aviation to investigate claims of engine failure and or bird strikes by the two flights (Max Air and Aero Contractors) that sought to depart Kano and Port Harcourt Airports to Abuja yesterday, safety precautionary measures which nearly caused air accidents, towards avoiding further loss of lives and destruction of properties attendant therein,” the House maintained.
