FG Orders Investigation As Private Aircraft Lands On Road In Delta, Takes Off Without Clearance
The Federal Government has commenced an investigation into an aviation incident involving a private aircraft that reportedly landed on a concrete road under construction in Ogwashi-Uku, near Asaba, Delta State, after failing to complete its landing approach at the Asaba Airport.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed the development in a statement shared on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the aircraft conducted a missed approach at about 7:43 a.m. local time while attempting to land at the Asaba Airport before eventually touching down on the nearby roadway.
Keyamo stated that all occupants of the aircraft, comprising four crew members, safely exited the plane and were transported by road to Asaba. No injuries were recorded.
He, however, described the subsequent departure of the aircraft from the location as a serious regulatory concern, noting that the plane reportedly took off again without obtaining the required approval from aviation authorities.
The minister explained that the aircraft departed the location at about 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos, while the Air Traffic Control authorities were only notified after the aircraft had already become airborne.
“This means the aircraft had no clearance to take off again,” Keyamo stated.
Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of investigations.
The NCAA also placed the flight operation under regulatory review and began working with relevant aviation stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) has also been suspended, while authorities said operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight records would be reviewed.
Keyamo added that security agencies had been contacted and that the crew members were in custody assisting with investigations.
The minister assured Nigerians that appropriate regulatory actions would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
AIV NEWS reports that aviation authorities are expected to provide further updates as investigations into the unusual landing and unauthorised take-off continue.
