The Embraer ERJ-170LR aircraft operated by Enugu Air that veered off the runway while landing at Benin Airport has been declared a total loss and permanently withdrawn from service after sustaining extensive structural damage in the incident.
Aircraft records published by aviation database Planespotters.net show the 17.6-year-old aircraft, registered as 5N-ENR with manufacturer serial number 17000274, has been officially classified as “written off”—an aviation designation used when an aircraft is considered damaged beyond economic repair and is no longer fit for commercial operations.
The aircraft reportedly suffered severe damage during the runway excursion on July 23 after landing at Benin Airport in heavy rainfall.
According to the records, the impact caused both landing gears to be forced upward through the wings before separating from the fuselage, leaving the aircraft structurally beyond repair.
Despite the severity of the accident, all 63 passengers and five crew members safely evacuated the aircraft without injuries or fatalities.
In the aviation industry, a “written off” aircraft is permanently retired because repairing it is either technically impossible or financially impractical. Such aircraft are usually dismantled for spare parts or scrapped.
The Embraer jet had served with several operators before joining Enugu Air.
Built by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer in São José dos Campos, the aircraft first flew under the test registration PT-TQA before being delivered to Egyptair Express in March 2009 as SU-GDH, configured with 76 economy-class seats.
It later joined EgyptAir in November 2019 before being withdrawn from service and placed in storage in Cairo between 2020 and 2025.
In February 2025, the aircraft was registered in Nigeria as 5N-ENR and leased to XE Jet before subsequently operating for Enugu Air under the XE Jet arrangement until March 2026.
The aircraft veered off the runway shortly after landing at Benin Airport on July 23 during torrential rainfall, initially raising fears of a plane crash.
However, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) clarified that the occurrence was a runway excursion, explaining that the aircraft landed safely before skidding off the runway due to adverse weather conditions.
Videos from the scene showed passengers evacuating after the aircraft came to a stop in a swampy area beside the runway.
Following the incident, Enugu Air announced temporary adjustments to its flight schedules while the aircraft was recovered and aviation authorities began investigations.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, directed relevant aviation agencies to investigate the incident, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah confirmed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had commenced a formal probe.
The governor assured the public that Enugu Air would fully cooperate with investigators, maintaining that passenger safety remains the airline’s highest priority.
Although the NSIB’s investigation is still ongoing, the aircraft’s classification as a total loss officially brings its more than 17 years of commercial service to an end.
