The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft and suspended its operator’s permit after the aircraft made an emergency landing on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, before allegedly departing the scene without regulatory clearance.
In a preliminary report issued on Wednesday, the NCAA said the aircraft encountered difficulties while attempting to land at Asaba Airport and conducted a missed approach at about 7:43 a.m. local time.
According to the Authority, the aircraft subsequently landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba. All four crew members on board safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries reported.
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However, the NCAA disclosed that the aircraft later departed the location at about 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval.
The Authority said 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.
“Upon its arrival in Lagos, the NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft pending the outcome of its investigation,” the Authority said.
The flight crew have also been placed under regulatory review as investigators seek to determine the circumstances surrounding both the emergency landing and the subsequent unauthorized departure.
The NCAA said it had notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and was working with the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to establish the full facts of the incident.
As part of its immediate enforcement measures, the Authority suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) and said it would review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance and flight records linked to the aircraft.
The NCAA said further regulatory action would be taken based on the outcome of ongoing investigations, reaffirming its commitment to aviation safety, security and compliance across the country’s aviation sector.
