A commercial aircraft, en route Lagos from Jos, rammed its wings into an airforce C-130 aircraft on the tarmac of Jos airport as it was about to take off, yesterday.
The C-130 aircraft was in Jos to airlift students of the Airforce Military School and Airforce Girls Military School both in the Plateau State capital when the accident occurred.
As a result of the accident, a substantial part of the mainframe of the commercial aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 with registration No. 5NMJI, was taken off on impact while its dismembered body remained hanging on the C-130 aircraft.
A joint investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the accident, which recorded no casualty, involving NAF, the airline and the relevant Nigerian aviation bodies has commenced.
A statement released by the Nigerian Airforce on the incident by Wing Commander A. Makun, Deputy Director, Directorate of Airforce information said: “ An Arik Airline Boeing 737-700 with registration No 5NMJI on a routine flight to Lagos brushed the wing of a parked Nigerian Air Force C-130 (NAF 917) at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang Jos”.
“The incident happened at about 1345hrs today when the Arik aircraft was taxiing at the airport tarmac in preparation for take-off. The tank 1 wing tip of the NAF C-130 was damaged while the wing of the Arik aircraft was dismembered and hung on the NAF aircraft”.
“There was no casualty recorded during the incident, however, the 2 aircraft had to abort their missions. The NAF C-130 was in Jos to airlift students of the Air Force Military School and Air Force Girls Military School . Meanwhile, a joint investigation by the Nigerian Air Force and Arik Airline management has commenced”.