A student pilot is currently receiving medical Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Kaduna State. According to sources, the trainee aircraft skidded off the runway during landing.
A source at NCAT revealed that the incident occurred when the aircraft veered off the runway, but fortunately, there was no significant damage to the plane. However, the student pilot was taken to the hospital for treatment.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have been notified of the incident. The NCAA’s accident team has been contacted and will take over the scene to conduct an investigation.
Jude Amadi, spokesperson for NCAT, confirmed the incident, stating that the NCAA’s accident team would brief the press after conducting their investigation. When asked about the student pilot’s condition, Amadi initially stated that the pilot underwent a routine medical check.
However, when confronted with information that the student pilot was still hospitalized, Amadi clarified that he was not aware of the pilot’s current status. Amadi emphasized that he could only provide information available to him.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, downplayed the incident, describing it as minor. “It wasn’t a crash; the aircraft simply skidded off the runway. It wasn’t serious,” he said.
Achimugu’s statement seemed to contradict initial reports that the student pilot was hospitalized. When asked to clarify, Achimugu reiterated that the incident was not severe.Efforts to reach the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls and text messages.
The incident has raised concerns about aviation safety in Nigeria, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
