The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft and suspended its operator’s permit after the plane reportedly landed on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, before departing for Lagos without regulatory approval.
The aviation regulator disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, describing the aircraft’s subsequent departure as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
According to the NCAA, the aircraft was involved in an occurrence near Asaba after conducting a missed approach while attempting to land at the airport.
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It said that available information indicated that the aircraft executed the missed approach at about 7:43 a.m. local time before reportedly landing on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba.
The agency said all occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported by road to Asaba.
It said that the aircraft had four crew members on board, and no injuries were reported.
However, the NCAA said preliminary findings revealed that the aircraft later departed the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory clearance.
“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 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 (Nig. CARs) and is currently under investigation by the Authority,” the NCAA it said in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Michael Achimugu.
The authority said it immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
It added that the flight crew had been placed under regulatory review while inquiries continue into both the initial occurrence and the unauthorized departure.
The NCAA also confirmed that it had formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and was working with other aviation stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“In the interim, the NCAA has suspended the operator’s permit for Non-Commercial flight (PNCF).
“The Authority will review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance, and flight-related records as part of its statutory responsibilities and will take further enforcement action in accordance with applicable aviation regulations,” it added.
The regulator reiterated its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, security and regulatory compliance, stressing that appropriate enforcement measures would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
