The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Dana Air’s operator certificate.
This occurred just 24 hours after a Dana Air jet flying from Abuja landed on the Lagos airport runway and veered off into an adjacent field.
The Dana Air airliner with registration number 5N BKI carried 83 people. However, all of the passengers and crew members disembarked safely.
Emergency responders and regulatory organisations jumped to the occasion and launched an inquiry to determine the true path of the tragedy.
While the outcome of the Nigerian Safety and Procurement Bureau probe is anticipated, the NCAA stated that an audit of the carrier’s operations was necessary. The NCAA announced in a letter with the reference number NCAA/DGCA/DANA/1/24/001, signed by the Acting Director of the of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, that the airline’s AOC had been suspended.
While awaiting the Nigeria Safety Commission’s inquiry report, the NCAA announced that it had launched an in-house compliance evaluation of the incident, taking into account Dana’s track record in such incidents.
The NCAA letter read in part, “As a precautionary step and in accordance with Sec. 31(7) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the Authority has imposed a suspension on your Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with effect from April 24, 2024, at 23:59 to allow for a thorough safety and economic audit.
“The safety audit will entail a re-inspection of your organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of your airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations,” the NCAA insists.
Meanwhile, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, expressed disappointment with the incident involving a Dana aircraft.
The Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development issued a letter to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority stating this.
In the letter to the NCAA, the permanent secretary stated that the event had raised severe questions about the safety and financial feasibility of Dana activities.
He added that, “As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana Airline.
“In light of these incidents and with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the Honourable Minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana Airline’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted. This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations.
“The recent incidents have underscored the urgency of this matter, and it is imperative that swift and decisive action be taken to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders involved.
“I trust in your expertise and diligence in carrying out this audit thoroughly and expeditiously. Please keep me informed of the progress and any significant findings throughout this process,” Meribole stated.
