The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the operational permit of an airline operator after one of its aircraft reportedly landed on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, and subsequently departed the scene without obtaining the required regulatory clearance.
The regulatory action was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu.
According to the Authority, it received preliminary reports regarding an incident involving a privately operated aircraft that encountered difficulties while attempting to land at Asaba Airport.
The NCAA disclosed that the aircraft conducted a missed approach at approximately 7:43 a.m. local time before reportedly touching down on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba.
“Available information indicates that the aircraft conducted a missed approach at approximately 0743 local time while attempting to land at Asaba,” the Authority stated.
“Subsequently, the aircraft reportedly landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba. Reports received from personnel at the scene indicate that all occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road.”
The Authority said the aircraft had four crew members on board and confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded during the incident.
“The aircraft had four crew members on board. At this time, no injuries to passengers or crew have been reported,” the statement added.
However, the regulator expressed concern over what it described as an unauthorised departure from the incident location.
According to the NCAA, preliminary findings indicate that the aircraft later took off from the roadway and returned to Lagos without securing the necessary regulatory approvals.
“Preliminary information available to the Authority indicates that the aircraft subsequently departed the location at approximately 1102 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the requisite regulatory approval,” the Authority said.
The regulator further disclosed that Air Traffic Control authorities were informed only after the aircraft had already become airborne, describing the action as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs).
“The Authority has also been informed that Air Traffic Control was notified only after the aircraft had become airborne.
This action constitutes a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations and is currently under investigation by the Authority,” the statement noted.
In response, the NCAA said it immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos and commenced regulatory actions against those involved.
“Upon its arrival in Lagos, the NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft pending the outcome of its investigation,” the Authority stated.
“The flight crew have been placed under regulatory review while the NCAA conducts further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the occurrence and the subsequent unauthorised departure of the aircraft.”
The regulator also announced the suspension of the operator’s permit for non-commercial flight operations pending the outcome of investigations.
“In the interim, the NCAA has suspended the operator’s permit for Non-Commercial Flight,” the statement added.
The Authority disclosed that it has formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and is working closely with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the operator and other aviation stakeholders to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
As part of the investigation, the NCAA said it would review all operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight-related records connected to the aircraft and its operator.
Achimugu stated that the Authority would take any further enforcement actions deemed necessary in line with applicable aviation regulations once investigations are concluded.
The NCAA did not disclose the identity of either the aircraft operator or the airline involved in the incident.
