The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the immediate investigation
into private aircraft incident near Asaba, including the grounding of the aircraft and suspension of its operators permit.
Mr. Keyamo who has been fully briefed on the reports concerning the private aircraft that conducted a missed approach while attempting to land at the Asaba Airport at approximately 07:43 a.m. local time on Wednesday subsequently ended up landing on a concrete road still under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area, near Asaba, Delta State.
According to preliminary information, the aircraft was unable to access the airport’s runway but managed to land safely on an unfinished road.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that all occupants of the aircraft disembarked safely and were subsequently conveyed by road to Asaba.
The aircraft had four (4) crew members on board, and there were no injuries or fatalities recorded.
The Minister, while expressing gratitude that no lives were lost, described the incident and the events that followed as a matter of grave regulatory and security concern.
The aircraft subsequently departed the location at approximately 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the requisite regulatory approval. It has further been established that Air Traffic Control was only notified after the aircraft was already airborne, implying that the flight departed without the necessary operational clearance.
The Honourable Minister views this development as a serious breach of aviation regulations and security protocols.
Consequently, the following immediate actions have been taken by the relevant aviation authorities:
Upon the aircraft’s arrival in Lagos, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) immediately grounded the aircraft pending the conclusion of a full investigation.
The NCAA has placed the flight under comprehensive regulatory review and has commenced further inquiries into both the circumstances surrounding the incident and the subsequent unauthorized departure of the aircraft from the location.
The NCAA is working in close coordination with all relevant aviation stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to establish the full facts surrounding the incident.
The NCAA has suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) pending the outcome of the investigation.
In line with its statutory responsibilities, the NCAA will undertake a thorough review of all operational, airworthiness, maintenance, and flight-related records associated with the aircraft and operator, and will not hesitate to impose further enforcement actions as may be warranted under the applicable civil aviation regulations.
In addition, the Honourable Minister has been in contact with the relevant security agencies and has received assurances that the flight crew are currently in their custody and are fully cooperating with ongoing investigations.
The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development reiterates the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to the highest standards of aviation safety, regulatory compliance, and national security. No individual or operator, irrespective of status, will be permitted to circumvent established aviation procedures designed to safeguard lives and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s airspace system.
The Minister assures the public that a thorough and transparent investigation will be conducted and that all appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings.
