The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says no casualties were recorded after a privately operated aircraft landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba, Delta state.
In a statement on Wednesday, Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s director of public affairs and consumer protection, said preliminary reports indicated that the aircraft conducted a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba airport at about 7:43am.
A viral video of the incident suggested that the aircraft is a Bombardier Challenger 601 with tail number N898BC likely registered in the United States.
“Reports received from personnel at the scene indicate that all occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road,” Achimugu said.
“The aircraft had four (4) crew members on board. At this time, no injuries to passengers or crew have been reported.”
The director said preliminary information available to the authority indicated that the aircraft later departed the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval.
He added that air traffic control was informed only after the aircraft had become airborne.
According to Achimugu, the action constitutes a violation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) and is currently under investigation by the authority.
He said the NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of investigations.
“The flight crew have been placed under regulatory review while the NCAA conducts further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the occurrence and the subsequent unauthorized departure of the aircraft,” the statement added.
“The NCAA has formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) of the occurrence and is coordinating with relevant aviation stakeholders, including the operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Achimugu said the NCAA has suspended the operator’s permit for non-commercial flight (PNCF).
The director added that the authority would review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance and flight-related records as part of its statutory responsibilities and take further enforcement action in accordance with applicable aviation regulations.
Achimugu said the NCAA remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, security, and regulatory compliance within the Nigerian aviation sector.
