Just in: NCAA bans pilots, grounds jet involved in Asaba road-landing incident

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Wednesday disclosed that it has sanctioned the flight crew involved in the recent Asaba airport incident, suspending the pilots from operating in Nigerian airspace.

The authority also grounded the aircraft involved and suspended its permit to fly pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo disclosed this on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos.

Recall that in June, a private jet with registration number N989BC and operated by VMO Aero Ltd landed on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State.

The private jet, which had four crew members on board, subsequently departed the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on the sidelines of the Airport  Business Summit, Najomo confirmed that the aircraft involved in the incident had been grounded and its permit to fly suspended.

He said: “The investigation is still ongoing. Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has handed the investigation to us (the NCAA). We are doing our own investigation.

“As we speak, the aircraft is grounded. The Permit for Non-Commercial Flight, PNCF, is suspended.

“The pilots are suspended from flying in this airspace until we come up with our own investigation because, as a pilot for 45 years, I can’t see a road and land on the road.

“You will look at the other motives, too. The DSS got involved and they are investigating. Until that investigation comes out, it remains like that.”

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖