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 showed that the aircraft carried out a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba Airport at about 7:43am.
“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.”
He added that initial findings suggested the aircraft later left the scene and flew back to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval, while air traffic control was only informed after it had taken off.
According to him, the action amounts to a breach of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) and is currently under investigation.
The NCAA subsequently 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 also confirmed that the authority has suspended the operator’s permit for non-commercial flight (PNCF).
He said the NCAA will review all operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight records as part of its statutory duties and will take further enforcement measures in line with aviation regulations.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strict safety, security, and compliance standards in Nigeria’s aviation sector.