The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) following an emergency landing on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State.
The Authority’s Director for Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu who made this known in a press release said a preliminary report released on 10th June, 2026 ,stated that the aircraft was attempting to land at Asaba Airport at about 7:43 a.m. local time when it carried out a missed approach.
According to the him , the aircraft subsequently landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba. All four crew members on board reportedly exited the aircraft safely and were transported to Asaba by road. No injuries were reported.
Achimugu further revealed that the aircraft later departed the scene and returned to Lagos at approximately 11:02 GMT without obtaining the required regulatory approval. He stated that Air Traffic Control was only notified after the aircraft had already become airborne.
The NCAA spokesperson described the unauthorized departure as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) and said investigations are ongoing.
As part of its immediate regulatory response, the NCAA grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos and placed the flight crew under regulatory review pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Authority has also notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and is working with relevant aviation stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
In addition to suspending the operator’s PNCF, the NCAA said it would review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance and flight-related records connected to the aircraft and take further enforcement actions where necessary.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, security and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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