NCAA grounds aircraft after emergency road landing

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft and suspended the operator’s permit after it reportedly made an emergency landing on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, before later taking off without regulatory approval.

The incident occurred on Wednesday in the Ogwashi-Uku area, where residents were surprised to see the aircraft land on a concrete road. A video circulating online showed the aircraft stationary on the roadway before taxiing and eventually taking off.

In a statement, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said preliminary reports indicated that the aircraft was attempting to land at Asaba Airport when it conducted a missed approach at about 7:43 a.m.

According to the aviation regulator, the aircraft subsequently landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba.

The authority said all occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road. It added that the aircraft had four crew members on board and no injuries were reported.

However, the NCAA disclosed that initial findings revealed the aircraft later departed the location and flew back to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory clearance.

The agency said Air Traffic Control was reportedly notified only after the aircraft had already become airborne, an action it described as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs).

Following its arrival in Lagos, the NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft and placed the flight crew under regulatory review pending the outcome of investigations.

The authority also announced the suspension of the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) while inquiries continue.

According to the NCAA, the incident has been formally reported to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which is expected to conduct an independent investigation.

The regulator said it is working with relevant stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to determine the full circumstances surrounding the emergency landing and subsequent unauthorised departure.

The NCAA added that it would review the aircraft’s operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight records and take further enforcement action where necessary in line with aviation regulations.