Description

On 6 March 2018, a Bombardier DHC8-400 (5N-BQJ) being operated by Arik Air Nigeria on a scheduled international passenger flight from Lagos, NIgeria, to Accra, Ghana, as ARA304 was in night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at FL 240 when smoke was detected entering the flight deck and passenger cabin from the air conditioning system. The corresponding drill was followed and an emergency was immediately declared requesting priority routing to an emergency landing at destination. In the event, the action taken led to the emergency being downgraded and a normal arrival followed.

Investigation

The Nigerian Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) was not informed of the occurrence of a Serious Incident by any of the parties involved and only became aware of it on seeing a social media post two days later. The Bureau then contacted the Ghana CAA as the State of Occurrence for clarification and subsequently opened an Investigation. Relevant data were obtained from the flight data recorder (FDR) but relevant data on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were found to have been overwritten because the CVR had not been isolated during maintenance inspection following the arrival in Accra. Statements by all crew members were available and were found to be consistent with each other.