The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has uncovered multiple safety gaps at the Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, following the runway overrun involving an Enugu Air aircraft on July 23, 2026.
The Bureau, in its preliminary report released on Friday, identified an unserviceable weather information display, obstructed control tower visibility and fixed concrete structures beyond the runway as some of the safety concerns requiring attention.
The Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft, with registration number 5N-ENR, was operating Enugu Air flight ENU4264 from Lagos to Benin when it landed on Runway 05 and subsequently overran the runway.
The aircraft had 63 passengers and five crew members on board, all of whom evacuated safely without injury.
According to the report, the aircraft touched down approximately 1,641.5 metres from the threshold of the 2,400-metre runway, leaving about 758.5 metres of runway remaining.
The Bureau said the flight data recorder showed that the aircraft had a groundspeed of about 138.2 knots at touchdown.
The aircraft also landed with a tailwind, with data indicating approximately 12 knots of tailwind at the runway threshold and about 6.4 knots at touchdown.
The report further revealed that the crew knew before landing that the aircraft’s autobrake was unavailable and that manual braking would be used.
The NSIB said the crew was also informed that the runway was wet.
However, the Bureau noted that the communication from air traffic control did not include a Runway Condition Report or Runway Condition Code.
The report stated that ATC had advised the crew that the Runway 05 approach path appeared cloudy, while Runway 23 appeared to have better conditions, but the crew continued with Runway 05.
The NSIB said these circumstances would be subjected to further investigation.
“The investigation remains ongoing, and further technical examinations are underway,” the Bureau said.
The report also raised concerns over the availability of meteorological information at the airport, stating that the weather information display equipment in the control tower was unserviceable when the accident occurred.
It further found that an uncompleted building obstructed the control tower’s line of sight towards the end of Runway 05.
According to the Bureau, the aircraft, after leaving the runway, struck approach-lighting installations and two fixed concrete structures associated with a decommissioned localizer installation.
The aircraft suffered substantial damage, including separation of landing gear assemblies, fuselage damage, rupture of the horizontal stabilizer and ground contact by both engines.
The NSIB has issued four immediate safety recommendations, A-2026-039 to A-2026-042, to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
The recommendations concern the runway-end environment, control tower line of sight and availability of meteorological information.
The Bureau stressed that the preliminary report should not be interpreted as assigning blame or liability to any person or organisation.
“In accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the sole objective of the investigation is the prevention of accidents and incidents,” it said.
“It is not the purpose of the investigation to apportion blame or liability.”
The NSIB added that the findings remained subject to further review and analysis, warning that the contents of the preliminary report could change before the final report is released.
“The final report will present the Bureau’s conclusions and any further safety recommendations arising from the completed investigation,” it said.
