At least two persons have been hospitalised after a Diamond training aircraft operated by the Aviation Training School in Ilorin crash-landed.
According to aviation training school officials, the occurrences took place approximately 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
The terrible occurrence happened during a simulated instrument approach to Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
A simulated instrument approach, also known as simulated instrument flying, is a type of flight in which the pilot uses only the aircraft’s instruments for navigation and control.
Instead of instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot wears view-limiting equipment, such as an IFR hood or goggles, which limits their view of the surrounding environment.
While no one was killed in the incident, the two occupants of the plane were hospitalised.
The victims’ health status is unknown at the time of this publication.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Inquiry Bureau, in a statement signed by Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, stated that an inquiry into the root cause of the incident has begun.
According to the accident investigation, the aircraft crashed while attempting a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
The plane was believed to have strayed off the runway and landed on the grass fringe.
The NSIB added that “Two occupants were on board. Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. In response, the NSIB Go-Team is preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to conduct on-site investigations.
“The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”
Speaking through the statement, the Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh, stated, “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
The Bureau, however, called on the public and media to avoid speculation and to await verified updates from the authorities, “as the NSIB remains committed to ensuring a thorough, independent, and professional investigation that supports ongoing efforts to enhance aviation safety in Nigeria.”
