AN Air Traffic Controller at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos has revealed how the ill-fated Associated Airlines Embraer 120 plane that conveyed the remains of the late former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, crashed Thursday morning.
The graphic details given by the traffic controller suggested that the aircraft had a technical fault.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity, the traffic controller who spoke to Saturday Tribune said a female controller gave the final clearance to the ill-fated plane, but that when the Control Tower cleared it for take-off, it did not lift up from the expected link, a situation that made her take interest in the plane.
“The aircraft was supposed to have lifted up within links 4 and 5. She (the authorizing controller) was looking at the aircraft. It crossed links 4, 5 and 6 before it managed to lift up. As she was watching the aircraft lift up, the lift-up was not as expected.
“Then, all of a sudden, she said she saw the aircraft turning right, probably to avoid the congested area and at that time, she knew there was a problem with the airplane. She said she was thinking that the aircraft wanted to make an air return land at the airport.
“In that right turn, she explained that she saw the plane nose-diving. As the airplane was nose-diving, she notified the relevant agencies. All these happened in less than three minutes.”
Information gathered from a reliable source revealed that the plane on take-off lost its left engine, which made the pilot to decide to make an air return, but in the process crashed, killing 13 of its 20 passengers. Seven others, including the only son of the late Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Feyi Agagu, were rescued, though with severe injuries.
Information gathered by Saturday Tribune on Friday, however, put a question mark on the airworthiness status of the plane.
Source: Tribune
