Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has barred the American pilot involved in the June 10 aviation incident at Asaba Airport from operating within Nigeria’s airspace.
The NCAA also suspended the aircraft’s First Officer pending the conclusion of investigations into the incident.
Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, disclosed this on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos, saying the regulatory body had commenced enforcement action after taking over the regulatory aspect of the investigation from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The incident involved a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft operated by VMO Aero Limited and registered in the United States as N989BC.
The aircraft reportedly landed on an unfinished roadway instead of the designated runway at Asaba Airport, raising safety and security concerns within the aviation sector.
Najomo said the aircraft had been grounded while its Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) was suspended.
“About the Asaba incident, the investigation is still ongoing. NSIB has handed the investigation to us, the CAA, and we are doing our own investigation.
“As we speak, the aircraft is grounded, the PNCF is suspended, and the pilots are suspended from flying in this airspace until we come up with our own investigation,” he said.
The NCAA boss, who expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the incident, said other possible factors would be examined as part of the investigation.
“As a pilot for 45 years, I will not see a road and land on the road. So, we will look at the other motives too,” he added.
Najomo explained that while NSIB conducted the initial safety investigation in line with international aviation standards, the matter had moved into the regulatory phase under the NCAA’s jurisdiction.
He disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had also joined the investigation due to the seriousness of the incident.
The NCAA director-general assured aviation stakeholders and the travelling public that the investigation would be thorough and transparent, adding that appropriate sanctions would be applied if any regulatory breaches were established.
Speaking on the Airport Business Summit, Najomo described the event as an important platform for addressing challenges affecting Nigeria’s aviation industry.
He said the NCAA would also investigate concerns raised by industry operators regarding monopoly, anti-competitive practices and excessive charges within the aviation value chain.
The regulator, he said, remained committed to protecting passengers, promoting airline sustainability and ensuring a level playing field for operators.
The NSIB had commenced a safety investigation shortly after the June 10 incident to determine the probable cause after reports that the flight crew allegedly mistook a roadway for the airport runway during landing operations.
