George Oji
23 July 2008
Kaduna — A Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria trainer plane with registration number N5-CAV yesterday morning overshot its runway and crash landed at the premises of the college damaging part of the school's fence without any human casualty.
The plane, which was flown by a female student trainee according to an eye witness overshot the run way by about 200 metres. The name of the female pilot could not be immediately ascertained by THISDAY at the time of going to the press.
Although the cause of the crash was not immediately known, the Rector of the College, Captain Adebayo Araba said he had already informed the Accident Investigation Bureau of the Aviation ministry whose responsibility it is to inform Nigerians what actually went wrong.
Meanwhile, the scene of the crash had been cordoned off with zincs and the aircraft covered.
Said Araba, "I cannot tell you exactly what went wrong. I was not trained in that area. I have already informed the Accident Investigation Bureau and they are on their way here. They are the only ones who can tell you what went wrong".
"One thing you should know is that it is a man made machine and so, you cannot rule out the possibility of a mistake. The only way you can stay completely away from accident is to keep all the aircraft on ground and not fly them"."As long as you fly the plane, there is the possibility of a problem and since no one is certain, you cannot rule out that possibility. But all we try to do is to minimise it", he said.
Captain Adebayo said that although there was no casaulty, he has refered the female student who flew the plane to the hospital for proper medical examination to ensure that she does not have any internal injuries.
"It was a solo flight. What that means it is just one student", he said.
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