3 years after-Associated Airline Plane Crash

Today  we remember the victims of the Associated Airline Plane crash and our hearts are with the families and loved ones of the Victims. We also celebrate with the Survivors of the crash. Among whom are Cabin Crew Members, Quineth Ogunlowo Owolabi and Toyin Yemisi Samson.

On October 3 2013, Associated Aviation Flight 361 was a domestic charter flight operated by Associated Aviation from Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Nigeria toAkure Airport, Ondo State, also in Nigeria. The aircraft operating this flight, an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia, crashed shortly after takeoff.

The aircraft was conveying the body of former governor of Ondo State Olusegun Agagu from Lagos to Akure for burial. It lifted off from runway 18L of Murtala Mohammed Airport at about 09:32 local time (08:32 UTC). The crew received warnings from the aircraft’s aural warning system during the takeoff-roll and also failed to make “V1” and “rotate” calls; the aircraft then struggled to gain altitude immediately after takeoff. Less than a minute after lifting off, the aircraft impacted terrain in a nose-down-and-near-90-degrees-bank attitude. (Wikipedia)

Reports differ but according to the manifest the flight had 17 passengers and seven crew; four passengers and two crew survived the accident but one of passengers later died in hospital. Fatalities included relatives of Olusegun Agagu; and officials of the Ondo State Government. An elaborate burial ceremony planned for Agagu was postponed as a result of the crash. (Wikipedia)

Investigation

Nigeria’s Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), responsible for investigating air crashes, opened an investigation into the fatal accident. On 11 October 2013, the AIB released a preliminary report suggesting that improperly configured flaps for takeoff might have led to the crash. The report also reveals that the No. 1 engine appeared to be working normally whilst the No. 2 engine produced significantly less thrust. (Wikipedia)

Sadly, not much media was attention given to the Crew Members Oluwatoyin Yemisi samson and Quineth Ogunlowo Owolabi who survived the crash.

On October 3 2013, they left their respective home to operate the ill fated flight. As a normal routine, they were to drop off the passengers and return to base. Unfortunately, they never made it to destination.

Recalling what happened on that fateful day, Toyin said she was sitting at the back of the Cabin for take off. “The next thing, i was briefly unconscious. Amazingly, the process of transiting from my unconscious state of being to conscious state at that moment was very brief. The chair on which the late Agagu’s son and the late (MIC) boss, Tunji Okusanya sat on had shifted on impact and threw the two of them on top of me on the floor. By sheer luck i was able to wiggle out. And then the Crew in me came alive. i started reeling out my commands, Get up! go… this way. Luckily, Agagu’s son saw an opening and quickly went through it. suddenly i realized the Aircraft had gone up in  flames. I tried going through the cargo hold where the casket was, i could not access it. Thankfully, the fire service put out the fire. That was how God saved me from been roasted by the fire”

Quineth was not so lucky as she was the one sitting in front and sustained injuries that grounded her for a long time….

Today, whilst still carrying the physical, psychological, mental and the emotional scar of the crash, Quineth and Toyin are thanking God for the opportunity to live again.

Watch this space for the interview with these two survivors, as they share with us, the pains, the lessons and life after the crash.