NSIB reveals how private jet mistakenly landed on Asaba construction road

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has disclosed that the crew of a private aircraft aborted their initial landing attempt at the Asaba Airport before making a second approach that resulted in the aircraft touching down on a road under construction instead of the airport runway.

The revelation is contained in the Bureau’s preliminary report on the June 10 incident involving a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft, registered as N989BC and operated by VMO Aero Limited.

According to the report, the aircraft was operating under Instrument Flight Rules on a scheduled flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to Asaba Airport when the unusual landing occurred.

Investigators said the pilots discontinued their first approach into Asaba before repositioning the aircraft for another attempt to land on Runway 11.

Despite believing they had correctly lined up with the airport’s approved approach procedure, the aircraft eventually landed on a nearby paved road that was still under construction.

“The flight crew reported that the aircraft’s navigation indications displayed the aircraft as established on the published RNAV Runway 11 approach,” the report stated.

The NSIB disclosed that there were seven people on board the aircraft at the time of the incident, including four crew members and three passengers, noting that no injuries were recorded.

Read also: JUST IN… XENOPHOBIA: In retaliatory move, NANS targets MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic IBTC

Following the unexpected landing, the aircraft was shut down and inspected before the passengers safely disembarked.

According to the Bureau, the jet was later flown back to Lagos after leaving the construction road, although inspectors subsequently detected damage to part of its landing gear.

“The aircraft subsequently departed from the roadway and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, without further reported operational abnormalities. A post-flight examination identified damage to the left nose-wheel assembly,” the report said.

The Bureau explained that its preliminary findings were drawn from multiple sources, including interviews with the flight crew and witnesses, air traffic control records, operational documentation, physical examination of the aircraft, and information extracted from both the Cockpit Voice Recorder and the Flight Data Recorder.

“The recorders were retrieved and downloaded at the Bureau’s Transport Safety Laboratory in Abuja. Technical examinations and further analysis remain ongoing,” the report added.

The latest findings provide further insight into an incident that had already attracted national attention following comments by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who had earlier ruled out mechanical failure as the cause of the occurrence.

Speaking on Politics Tonight, a programme on TVC, Keyamo explained that the aircraft had received clearance to land before air traffic controllers realised it was no longer visible on the airport runway.

He stated, “The tower in Asaba cleared them to land. After about two minutes, the tower called and said, ‘Where is your location? I can’t see you again. I can’t see you on the tarmac.’

“But they (the pilots) said they had landed, so the tower asked, ‘Landed where?’ I can see the whole of the runway and aprons, but you are not there.

“So, they said they landed on a roadway that they saw. It happened that it was a construction site very close to the airport. They saw a beautiful road there that looked like a runway and landed there.

“Before they (relevant agency) could go there and ask questions, they (pilots) took off to Lagos after dropping their passengers. There was no mechanical failure, and that was why they could take off again. However, those facts are before the Department of State Service (DSS). It has gone beyond aviation; it is now a security concern. Security agencies are looking into that, and there are reports they will first send it to Mr President because it is a matter of national security.”

The NSIB emphasised that its investigation has not been concluded, stressing that the preliminary report only presents facts established so far and should not be interpreted as assigning blame or determining the probable cause of the incident.

The Bureau said further technical analysis and examination of available evidence are continuing as investigators work towards producing a final report that will establish the circumstances surrounding the mistaken landing and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The post NSIB reveals how private jet mistakenly landed on Asaba construction road appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.