75-Year-Old Pilot Behind Delta Road Landing Incident, NCAA Clarifies Age Not a Breach

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed that the pilot involved in the unusual aircraft landing on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State is 75 years old, while the co-pilot is 70.

The clarification was provided by the Director of Operations, Licensing and Training, Capt. Don Spiff, who explained that both pilots hold American aviation licences and operate under United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

According to him, the aircraft involved is American-registered and operated under applicable international aviation rules, adding that the pilots are not considered over-aged under U.S. standards.

“The pilots that flew that aeroplane have American licences. The pilot is 75. The co-pilot is 70. The pilot is not over-aged in America. The standards in Nigeria are slightly different,” Spiff said.

He noted that Nigeria’s current regulation places the retirement age for commercial pilots at 65, though provisions exist for private flying under strict medical clearance, a policy still undergoing regulatory review.

Spiff also confirmed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigation into the incident to determine what led to the aircraft’s unusual landing on a road after reportedly failing to complete a safe landing at Asaba Airport.

“How he ended up landing on a strip or a newly constructed road, only the pilot and his God could determine. Investigation will establish the facts,” he said.

He further revealed that the aircraft, operated by VMO Aero, a Nigerian company, had filed a flight plan from Lagos to Asaba before the incident occurred.

While describing the event as isolated, Spiff stressed that it should not undermine confidence in Nigeria’s aviation safety record, insisting that the country’s airspace remains safe and regulated.

The NCAA has since suspended the pilots’ commercial certification pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.