NSIB Releases Preliminary Report on Asaba Wrong-Landing Incident Involving Challenger Aircraft

Oru Leonard 

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation into the serious incident involving a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft, registration N989BC, operated by VMO Aero Limited, which mistakenly landed on a road under construction near Asaba Airport.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe, the incident occurred on June 10, 2026, during an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba Airport in Delta State.

The Bureau said the aircraft discontinued its initial approach to Asaba Airport and repositioned for a second approach to Runway 11. The flight crew reported that the aircraft’s navigation systems indicated it was properly established on the published RNAV Runway 11 approach.

However, the aircraft landed on a paved roadway under construction near the airport instead of the designated runway.
There were seven people on board, including four crew members and three passengers, and no injuries were recorded.

Following the incident, the aircraft was shut down and inspected, while passengers safely disembarked. The aircraft later departed the roadway and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos without further reported operational abnormalities. A post-flight inspection, however, revealed damage to the aircraft’s left nose-wheel assembly.

NSIB said the preliminary report contains factual information gathered during the early stages of the investigation, including statements from the flight crew and witnesses, operational and Air Traffic Control records, post-occurrence examination of the aircraft, relevant documents, and data recovered from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR).

The Bureau disclosed that both recorders were successfully retrieved and downloaded at its Transport Safety Laboratory in Abuja, while technical examinations and detailed analysis are continuing.

It noted that the report includes initial findings based on evidence currently available as well as immediate safety recommendations arising from issues identified so far.

The NSIB emphasized that the preliminary report does not determine the causes or contributing factors of the occurrence, stressing that the investigation remains ongoing. It added that a final report containing comprehensive analysis, conclusions, probable causes and additional safety recommendations will be published upon completion of the investigation in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

The preliminary report has been made available to the public and media on the NSIB website.