The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft following an emergency landing near Asaba, Delta State, and its subsequent unauthorized departure to Lagos.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, disclosed that preliminary reports indicate the aircraft carried out a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba Airport at about 7:43 a.m. before landing on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State.
According to Achimugu, the aircraft had four crew members on board. All occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries recorded.
He explained that available information revealed that the aircraft later took off from the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining the necessary regulatory approval.
The NCAA spokesman noted that Air Traffic Control was only informed after the aircraft had already become airborne, describing the action as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
As a result, the Authority has suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and placed the flight crew under regulatory review.
Achimugu added that the NCAA has also notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau of the incident.
He said the Authority will conduct a comprehensive review of all operational, maintenance, and flight records related to the aircraft and take appropriate enforcement actions in accordance with aviation regulations.