Eight individuals narrowly escaped injury on Sunday when a FlyBird aircraft experienced a landing gear collapse at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State. The incident has prompted an investigation by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The aircraft involved, a Hawker 800XP operated by FlyBird Aircraft Management Services Limited, was on a non-scheduled domestic flight from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to Kano. The company confirmed the operational incident, stating that the flight crew adhered to safety procedures, successfully stopping the aircraft and evacuating all occupants safely.
“All passengers and crew disembarked without injuries,” FlyBird stated. The aircraft has been secured, and the incident has been reported to relevant aviation authorities, with a technical inspection currently underway as per regulatory requirements.
Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, spokesperson for the NSIB, confirmed the incident and indicated that a formal investigation has begun. She clarified that, contrary to initial reports claiming 11 individuals were onboard, only eight people were present, including two cockpit crew members, one cabin crew member, and five passengers.
During the approach to Kano, the flight crew encountered an anomaly with the landing gear indication and requested several low passes over the runway for visual confirmation by air traffic controllers. Kano Tower verified that all three landing gears appeared fully extended. However, during the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed at approximately 10:34 AM local time.
