The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the pilots involved in the controversial landing of a chartered aircraft on a road near Asaba Airport in Delta State and grounded the aircraft pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
Key Highlights:
- The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the pilots involved in the controversial landing of a chartered aircraft near Asaba Airport.
- The aircraft has been grounded, and its Permit to Fly suspended pending the outcome of investigations.
- The chartered jet reportedly landed on a road under construction instead of the airport runway last month.
- NCAA Director-General Capt. Chris Najomo said the regulatory investigation is now being handled independently by the NCAA after the initial safety probe by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
- The Department of State Services (DSS) has joined the investigation to determine whether other factors contributed to the incident.
Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, announced the sanctions on Wednesday, while speaking on the sidelines of the airport business summit in Lagos.
He disclosed that the aircraft’s permit to fly had also been suspended as the regulatory probe continues.
The incident, which occurred last month, drew widespread concern after the chartered jet reportedly landed on a road under construction close to the airport instead of the runway, prompting calls for a comprehensive investigation.
Najomo explained that although the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) initially handled the safety investigation, the regulatory aspect has now been transferred to the NCAA, which is conducting its own independent inquiry.
He also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has joined the investigation to determine whether there were other factors behind the unusual landing.
“As we speak, the aircraft has been grounded, its Permit to Fly has been suspended, and the pilots have also been suspended pending the outcome of our investigation,” Najomo said.
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A veteran pilot with more than 45 years of flying experience, Najomo described the incident as highly unusual, stating that it was difficult to imagine how a pilot could mistake a road for an airport runway.
He stressed that the NCAA would await the outcome of the investigations before drawing conclusions, noting that all possible scenarios were being examined.
The NCAA boss reaffirmed the regulator’s commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
He said the authority would investigate complaints of monopoly and anti-competitive practices within the industry to guarantee a level playing field for operators, protect passengers’ interests and ensure airlines remain commercially viable while maintaining reasonable charges across the sector.
