Asaba Aircraft Incident: Pilots Mistook Road for Runway, DSS Investigating – Keyamo

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the private aircraft which landed on a construction road near Asaba International Airport in June mistakenly touched down after its pilots confused the roadway with the airport’s runway.

The minister disclosed that the incident, which occurred on June 10, is now under investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS) because of its national security implications.

Speaking during an interview on TVC, Keyamo dismissed speculation that the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure, insisting that preliminary findings point to pilot error.

He explained that the aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger CL-601 with registration number N989BC, had received clearance from the control tower to land at Asaba International Airport.

According to him, moments after issuing the landing clearance, air traffic controllers contacted the crew after losing visual contact with the aircraft.

“The control tower cleared them to land, but shortly afterwards could no longer see the aircraft on the runway. When contacted, the pilots said they had already landed,” the minister said.

He explained that the crew had mistakenly landed on a newly constructed road located close to the airport, believing it to be the runway.

“They saw a well-paved road that looked like a runway and landed there,” Keyamo said, adding that the aircraft remained fully serviceable throughout the incident.

He noted that the absence of any technical fault was evident from the fact that the aircraft later departed the location and flew to Lagos after disembarking its passengers.

Keyamo said the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident prompted security agencies to step in, noting that the investigation has gone beyond aviation safety.

According to him, the DSS is handling the security aspect of the case and will submit its findings directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said the probe is intended to determine whether there were broader security concerns associated with the mistaken landing.

Following the incident, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) of the aircraft’s operator, VMO Aero Limited, while placing the flight crew under investigation.

The NCAA also faulted the crew for departing the scene without obtaining the required regulatory clearance, describing the action as a breach of aviation regulations.

Separately, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched a full safety investigation and has recovered the aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder to determine the exact sequence of events.

VMO Aero had earlier stated that its crew discontinued an unstable approach before the aircraft eventually landed on a road running parallel to the airport’s runway. The company maintained that no injuries or damage to property were recorded and pledged full cooperation with investigators.

Keyamo also announced that President Tinubu has approved the establishment of a joint committee involving the Ministries of Aviation and Finance, relevant tax agencies and the Airline Operators of Nigeria to review taxes, levies and other charges with a view to reducing the cost of airline operations in the country.