KEY POINTS
- An antelope that collided crashed an Air Peace flight at the Asaba International Airport causing it to stop.
- The NCAA recalled the airlines to respect passenger rights even though the delays are unavoidable.
- A runway intrusion review is being carried out.
While taxiing at Asaba International Airport, an Air Peace plane struck an antelope, prompting authorities to ground the aircraft immediately, disrupt flights, and launch a probe.
Runway collision causes AOG status
Upon taxiing, the aircraft collided with a large antelope causing its death and declared the aircraft AOG (Aircraft on Ground). Following the accident, the aircraft remained grounded (AOG), which led to the cancellation of services.
NCAA, via social media, reported that newly reported runway incursions are rare, but they do compel nearly unavoidable runway delays.
The Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu on X (formerly Twitter), stated that yesterday’s monitors revealed that an Air Peace aircraft knocked down a large antelope, killed the antelope and grounded the plane.
As a result, the airline would delay any flights scheduled to use the same aircraft unless the technical staff was already on site, checking and repairing the plane.
NCAA reminds airlines about passenger rights
Achimugu explained that although the situation was beyond Air Peace’s control, the airline still bears the responsibility to inform passengers, compensate them, and provide the required assistance in line with consumer standards in the aviation sector.
He also added that the NCAA will take disciplinary action if Air Peace fails to meet its obligations to the affected passengers.
A person familiar with the situation reported that the issue occurred during landing and that aviation personnel immediately carried out the necessary procedures.
A person familiar with the circumstances surrounding Air Peace reported that the incident occurred during landing and that aviation personnel promptly carried out the necessary procedures.
It happened upon landing, as part of standard aviation procedure, aviation personnel inspected and repaired the plane. It was not a significant issue to the airline since the source explained.
Safety measures under review
The NCAA has published to the public that it is looking into runway safety guidelines.
The regulators are investigating the circumstances of the intrusion and will propose new safety nets to prevent such cases from happening.
