1995 Lagos Harka Air Services Tu-134 crash

The Tu-134A was manufactured by Kharkiv State Aircraft Manufacturing Company in 1974. It was operated by East German airline Interflug from 1974 to 1990 with registrations DM-SCT, DDR-SCT and D-AOBH. In 1991, it was re-registered as CCCP-65617 and delivered to the Soviet Union, entering service with Komiavia. In 1992 it was re-registered to RA-65617. On December 15, 1992, it was leased to Nigerian airline Harka Air Services. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 24,844 flight hours and 15,740 landings.^[2]

The aircraft was on a flight from Kaduna to Lagos, piloted by a Russian crew led by Captain V. V. Lerner, with Nigerian flight attendants. Upon approaching Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the crew received weather information indicating moderate winds and light rain. However, weather conditions deteriorated rapidly, and a heavy downpour ensued just as the aircraft was landing. The runway was wet due to the rain. As a result of hydroplaning, the aircraft could not stop effectively, overran the runway, traveled onto the safety area, and crashed into a concrete drainage ditch, breaking apart and catching fire.

The evacuation process was hindered by poor communication between the Russian pilots and Nigerian cabin crew, likely due to a language barrier. Consequently, some passengers remained seated in the cabin and perished in the fire. Sixteen passengers died in the accident.^[3][4]