48 Years ago today: On 22 January 1973 an Alia Royal Jordanian Boeing 707 crashed on landing at Kano, Nigeria; killing 176 out of 202 occupants.
Date: | Monday 22 January 1973 |
Time: | ca 09:30 |
Type: | Boeing 707-3D3C |
Operating for: | Nigeria Airways |
Leased from: | Alia Royal Jordanian Airlines |
Registration: | JY-ADO |
C/n / msn: | 20494/850 |
First flight: | 1971-01-14 (2 years ) |
Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D- |
Crew: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 9 |
Passengers: | Fatalities: 170 / Occupants: 193 |
Total: | Fatalities: 176 / Occupants: 202 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
Location: | Kano International Airport (KAN) ( Nigeria) |
Crash site elevation: | 476 m (1562 feet) amsl |
Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
Nature: | Int’l Non Scheduled Passenger |
Departure airport: | Jeddah International Airport (JED/OEJD), Saudi Arabia |
Destination airport: | Lagos/Ikeja International Airport (LOS/DNMM), Nigeria |
Narrative:
The Boeing 707 had been chartered by Nigeria Airways to fly pilgrims back from Jeddah to Lagos. Bad weather at Lagos forced the crew to divert to Kano. The aircraft touched nosewheel first steady and heavy with main wheels barely in contact with the runway. The nosewheel entrenched itself then collapsed. The main gear contacted later in rapid deceleration, pierced the main wings and the aircraft collapsed along the runway centreline. A fire broke out and after a prolonged pause the passengers and crew evacuated.