By Chimezie Godfrey
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 occurrence near Asaba, Delta State, and the aircraft’s subsequent unauthorized departure to Lagos.
According to Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft conducted a missed approach at about 7:43 a.m. local time while attempting to land in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Authority said the aircraft subsequently landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba. Personnel at the scene confirmed that all occupants safely disembarked and were transported by road to Asaba.
The aircraft was carrying four crew members, and no injuries have been reported.
However, the NCAA disclosed that preliminary information available to the Authority showed that the aircraft later departed the location at approximately 1102 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval.
According to Achimugu, Air Traffic Control was only informed after the aircraft had already become airborne.
”This action constitutes a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) and is currently under investigation by the Authority,” he stated.
The NCAA said it immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
The flight crew have also been placed under regulatory review as the Authority examines the circumstances surrounding both the emergency occurrence and the subsequent unauthorized flight.
The Authority further disclosed that it has formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and is collaborating with relevant aviation stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to establish the full facts surrounding the incident.
In the interim, the NCAA has suspended the operator’s PNCF permit.
Achimugu stated that the Authority would review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance and flight-related records in line with its statutory mandate and would take further enforcement action where necessary in accordance with applicable aviation regulations.
He reiterated the NCAA’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, security and regulatory compliance across the Nigerian aviation sector. :::
According to Achimugu, the investigation remains ongoing and further regulatory actions will be determined based on its findings.
NCAA grounds aircraft, suspends operator’s permit
