On 22nd November 2021, a Boeing 737-300, 5N-BUQ with flight number APK7159, departed as a scheduled passenger flight from Sam Mbakwe airport, Owerri (DNIM) to Murtala Muhammed airport, Lagos (DNMM) on instrument flight Rules (IFR) Flight Plan. The incident flight was the fourth sector for the day. On board were 101 persons inclusive of two (2) cockpit crew members and four (4) Cabin Crew members, fuel on board at the time of departure was 0300 hrs, the Pilot was Pilot Flying (PF) while the Co-pilot was the Pilot Monitoring (PM).
At 17:47 h, APK7159 was given start up clearance with QNH 1009 hPa at 26oC by Owerri Air Traffic Control (ATC). At 17:50 h APK7159 taxied and backtracked on runway 35, with take-off clearance: “surface wind calm, after Departure maintain runway heading passing 2,000 ft QNH 1009 hPa, left turn on course clear take-off RWY 35 ”. Take-off was at 17:52 h.
