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 following the damage it sustained during the July 23 runway excursion.
Aircraft records published by Planespotters.net indicate that the 17.6-year-old jet, registered as 5N-ENR, has been officially classified as “written off,” an aviation term used for aircraft considered beyond economic repair and permanently withdrawn from commercial service.
According to the records, the aircraft suffered severe structural damage after overrunning the runway in poor weather conditions. The impact reportedly forced both landing gears through the wings before they detached from the fuselage, leaving the aircraft irreparable.
Despite the extensive damage, all 63 passengers and five crew members on board safely evacuated the aircraft, with no injuries or fatalities recorded.
The Embraer ERJ-170LR was manufactured by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and first flew in 2009 before entering service with Egyptair Express. It later transferred to Egyptair in 2019 and was placed in storage in Cairo between 2020 and 2025.
The aircraft was re-registered in Nigeria in February 2025 as 5N-ENR, leased to XE Jet, and later joined Enugu Air, where it continued operations under XE Jet until March 2026.
The incident occurred during heavy rainfall as the aircraft landed at Benin Airport. Initial reports raised fears of a crash, but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) clarified that it was a runway excursion caused by adverse weather after a safe landing.
Following the incident, Enugu Air temporarily adjusted some of its flight schedules while the aircraft was secured and aviation authorities began investigations.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, directed relevant aviation agencies to investigate the occurrence, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah confirmed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had launched a formal probe.
Governor Mbah assured the public that the airline would cooperate fully with investigators, stressing that passenger safety remains the airline’s top priority.
Although the NSIB’s investigation is still ongoing, the aircraft’s classification as a write-off officially brings its more than 17 years of operational service to an end.
