By Utibe Inyang
On 22nd January 1973, 176 passengers and crew lost their lives in a plane crash at Kano airport. The aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 707-3D3C, JY-ADO, owned by Alia Royal Jordanian Airlines, operating on behalf of Nigeria Airways. The charter service was supposed to head to Lagos from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. However, the Pilots were told about challenging weather conditions at their destination – the reason for which the crew was redirected to Kano. Amid strong winds, on the aircraft’s final approach, the Pilot-in-Command was met with mist during the last phase. Subsequently, control was lost, and the aircraft nosed down and hit the runway surface with its nose gear, catching fire in the process. Three members of the crew and 23 passengers escaped, while 176 people died; and the aircraft was completely destroyed.
This was adjudged the deadliest aviation disaster in Nigeria.
REFERENCE
wikipedia.org
simpleflying.com
