NSIB Identifies Multiple Safety Gaps At Benin Airport After Enugu Air Overrun

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has identified multiple safety concerns at the Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, Edo State, following its preliminary investigation into the July 23, 2026 runway overrun involving an Enugu Air aircraft.

The Bureau, in its preliminary report released on Friday, identified safety issues relating to the runway-end environment, control tower line of sight and the availability of meteorological information at the airport.

The findings followed the accident involving an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-ENR, operated by Enugu Air Limited.

The aircraft was operating scheduled passenger flight ENU4264 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, when the accident occurred at about 2:55 p.m.

There were 68 people on board, comprising 63 passengers and five crew members.

The aircraft landed on Runway 05 but subsequently overran the end of the runway and entered the unpaved area beyond it.

During the overrun, the aircraft struck approach-lighting installations and two fixed concrete structures associated with a decommissioned localizer installation.

However, what could have resulted in a major tragedy ended without loss of life or injury, as all 68 occupants were successfully evacuated using the aircraft’s emergency escape slides.

Following its preliminary assessment, the NSIB issued four immediate safety recommendations, numbered A-2026-039 to A-2026-042, to relevant aviation authorities.

Director, public affairs and family assistance, NSIB said Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe said the recommendations were addressed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

The safety recommendations specifically concern the runway-end environment, the line of sight from the control tower and the availability of meteorological information.

The Bureau said the recommendations were issued to address safety concerns identified during the preliminary stage of the investigation and to reduce the possibility of a recurrence.

The preliminary report was based on information gathered from several sources, including witness statements, flight recorder data, air traffic control communications and an initial inspection of the aircraft.

The NSIB, however, stressed that the investigation is still ongoing, with additional technical examinations and analysis being conducted.

It also released a preliminary recreation of the aircraft’s flight path using data available to investigators at this stage of the investigation.

The Bureau said the release of the report and flight path recreation formed part of its commitment to transparency and the timely communication of aviation safety information to the public and relevant stakeholders.

The NSIB cautioned against treating the preliminary findings as final conclusions, noting that the information remains subject to further review and analysis and may change as more evidence becomes available.

It said the final report would contain the Bureau’s conclusions and any additional safety recommendations arising from the completed investigation.

The Bureau also reiterated that, in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the objective of an accident investigation is to prevent future accidents and incidents, not to apportion blame or liability.