I just got an insight into the ill fated Dana flight that crashed in Lagos from a credible ATC operative in Lagos.

He informed me that shortly after takeoff from Abuja, the Dana flight lost one of it's engines near Ilorin airspace. The Pilot radioed in to inform Abuja ATC about this and was adviced to land in Ilorin or Ibadan airport.

The pilot decided to proceed on just one engine to Lagos. Why he did this may be because of the huge financial cost it will put the airline if they diverted to either Ilorin or Ibadan. The airline would have had to make alternative flight arrangements and/or provide hotel accommodation and probably repay air tickets.
So the pilot proceeded to Lagos and somewhere between Oyo and Ogun the second and only engine failed. The pilot radioed in to ATC Lagos about his current dilemma, and all runways where cleared for emergency landing. The runway surface was even sprayed with form and emergency crew where strategically stationed.

The pilot glided with no power and as he slowly descended for approach the pilot began dumping excess fuel. Gravity got the best of him and the rest we all know.


The pilot slated to carry out the flight refused to fly the aircraft before the American Pilot decided to take the flight.
Was he properly briefed by the engineers? Why did he continue to Lagos after being advised to divert to Ibadan or Ilorin?
I believe before we can understand his actions we must understand the man.
He probably was a military trained pilot before becoming a civilian pilot. The "right stuff" is what makes a military pilot; daring and literally flying by the wits of your pants. During the 70's, there were numerous plane crashes usually involving former WW2 and Korean vet pilots. They brought the "right stuff" mentality into civilian air transport.

Why was he flying in Nigeria? Was his licence withdrawn in the U.S. neccessating him to get a job here in Nigeria?
Did the "right stuff" mentality got the best of him and the rest of the Dana passengers?

It's too early to speculate but I strongly believe from all evidence that Pilot error played a big role.

Perhaps so. I believe there's more to it than meets the eye.

I have tears in my eyes. You are capable of being serious on NL!!! Keep it up!

Pilots are responsible for decisions they make on their flight but they can't be blamed completely because they have been trained by the airline to always think of the financial complications involved in their decisions. I know this for a fact. It's sad all the same.