The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered the grounding of a privately operated aircraft, and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) after it landed on a roadway near Asaba, before departing the area without regulatory clearance.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Ogwashi-Uku area, close to Asaba Airport.

In a statement by its director of public affairs and consumer protection, Michael Achimugu, the aviation industry regulator said preliminary information showed the aircraft encountered difficulties during an attempt to land at Asaba Airport, and subsequently executed a missed approach.

“Reports from officials at the scene indicate that all occupants exited the aircraft safely and were conveyed to Asaba by road,” Mr Achimugu said.

According to the NCAA, the aircraft had four crew members on board at the time of the incident.

The regulator, however, expressed concern that the aircraft later took off from the location and returned to Lagos, without securing the required approval from aviation authorities.

Traffic control officials were informed only after the aircraft had already departed, the authority noted, an action it described as a breach of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.

The NCAA has directed that the aircraft be grounded immediately on its arrival in Lagos, and has placed the flight crew under regulatory review pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

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It disclosed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified of the development, adding that it is teaming up with relevant stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to ascertain the circumstances surrounding both the landing and the subsequent departure.

The investigation will examine the aircraft’s operational records, airworthiness status, maintenance history and other flight-related documentation, with the possibility of taking additional enforcement measures in the event that violations of aviation rules are established.

The incident comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny in the Nigerian aviation sector, where authorities have repeatedly emphasised the need for strict compliance with safety procedures and operational regulations.

The NCAA said it remains committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety, security and regulatory compliance within the industry.