Lagos, Nigeria: The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a privately operated aircraft and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) after the aircraft conducted an unauthorized flight to Lagos following an emergency landing near Asaba in Delta State. The aircraft involved was a Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 601-3A, registration N989BC, owned and operated by Best Aircraft Deals LLC.
The regulator announced the enforcement action in a statement issued on Wednesday by Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu, who confirmed that a full investigation has been launched into the occurrence.
According to preliminary information released by the NCAA, the aircraft was attempting to land at Asaba Airport when the crew executed a missed approach at approximately 7:43 a.m. local time. The aircraft subsequently carried out an emergency landing on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area, outside the airport environment.
Authorities reported that all four crew members on board safely evacuated the aircraft after landing. No injuries were recorded, and the occupants were later transported to Asaba by road.
While the emergency landing itself ended without casualties, the NCAA’s concerns intensified after learning that the aircraft later departed the scene and flew to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory authorization.
According to the regulator, preliminary findings indicate that the aircraft took off from the location at approximately 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos without prior approval from the authority. The NCAA further stated that Air Traffic Control was reportedly notified only after the aircraft had already become airborne.
The authority described the action as a potential violation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
In addition, the flight crew has been placed under regulatory review while investigators examine the circumstances surrounding both the emergency landing and the subsequent unauthorized flight.
As part of the enforcement measures, the NCAA suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and ordered a comprehensive review of all operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight-related records associated with the aircraft and operator.
The authority has also notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and is coordinating with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and other aviation stakeholders to establish the full sequence of events.
The regulator stated that the actions were necessary to preserve aviation safety and ensure compliance with established operational procedures while the investigation remains underway.
