Nigeria aviation authority suspends operator after plane lands on road near Asaba
Nigeria’s aviation regulator has suspended the operational permit of an aircraft operator after a plane reportedly made an emergency landing on a roadway near Asaba and later departed without prior approval. The incident is under investigation.
- Nigeria’s aviation regulator suspended an operator’s permit after an aircraft reportedly landed on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State.
- The aircraft had attempted to land at Asaba Airport before making a missed approach and touching down on a nearby road, with all occupants later safely evacuated.
- Authorities say the aircraft later departed without air traffic clearance and has since been grounded, with investigations now underway.
Nigeria’s aviation regulator has suspended the operational permit of an aircraft operator following an unusual incident involving a plane that reportedly landed on a roadway near Asaba in Delta State.
According to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the aircraft was attempting to land at Asaba Airport when it conducted a missed approach at around 7.43 am local time.
The regulator said the aircraft subsequently landed on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba after the aborted attempt, an incident that drew attention from both authorities and residents.
Reports indicated that all occupants were safely evacuated from the aircraft and later transported by road to Asaba.
Aircraft departed without clearance
The NCAA said the aircraft later departed the scene without notifying air traffic control beforehand, describing the action as a violation of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
The authority said it was only informed after the aircraft had already become airborne.
The regulator added that the aircraft was later grounded upon arrival in Lagos pending investigation.
Operator permit suspended, crew under review
As a result of the incident, the NCAA announced the suspension of the operator’s permit for non-commercial flight operations.
The flight crew have also been placed under regulatory review while investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the landing and subsequent departure.
The authority said it has notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and is working with relevant aviation stakeholders, including air traffic and safety agencies, to establish the full sequence of events.
It added that all operational, maintenance, and flight records related to the aircraft and operator will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
At the time of writing, the operator involved has not been publicly named, and the investigation is ongoing.
