FG May Demolish Building Blocking Benin Airport Control Tower View — NSIB

The Federal Government may demolish an uncompleted building obstructing the control tower’s view at Benin Airport following the July runway overrun involving an Enugu Air aircraft.

The recommendation is contained in a preliminary report released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which identified the structure as one of several safety concerns requiring urgent attention.

According to the bureau, the building blocks air traffic controllers’ line of sight towards the end of Runway 05, particularly the threshold of Runway 23, potentially affecting runway monitoring during aircraft operations.

The report followed an investigation into the July incident involving an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR operated by Enugu Air on a flight from Lagos to Benin. The aircraft overran Runway 05 after landing on a wet runway but all 68 occupants, including five crew members, evacuated safely without injuries.

NSIB said the aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and the flight crew were properly licensed. However, the aircraft’s autobrake system was inoperative, requiring the pilots to rely on manual braking during landing.

The bureau also noted that weather conditions deteriorated as the aircraft approached Benin, with moderate rainfall, reduced visibility and a tailwind recorded during the final approach.

Air traffic controllers reportedly advised the crew that Runway 23 offered a better approach than Runway 05, but the pilots continued with the RNAV approach to Runway 05. While the crew were informed that the runway surface was wet, NSIB said no Runway Condition Report or Runway Condition Code was provided.

Flight recorder data showed the aircraft touched down about 1,641.5 metres from the runway threshold, leaving insufficient distance to stop before it exited the runway into an unpaved area. The aircraft subsequently struck approach-lighting equipment and two concrete structures linked to a decommissioned localiser installation.

Following its findings, NSIB issued four immediate safety recommendations to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). The recommendations focus on improving runway-end safety, restoring the control tower’s visibility and enhancing the availability of weather information.