Asaba jet crew remains in SSS custody over security breach

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed that the crew of the foreign-registered private jet that landed on a concrete road instead of the runway at Asaba Airport in June remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the incident as a serious security breach.

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Mr Keyamo disclosed this on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television, saying investigations are ongoing to determine why the crew ignored air traffic control instructions and landed outside the airport perimeter.

The minister said the incident went beyond an aviation occurrence because the aircraft had been cleared to land on the airport runway, but instead touched down on a road outside the secured airport environment.

“The private jet incident was a security breach, and we are treating it as such. The pilots and crew are still in DSS custody, undergoing rigorous questioning to determine why they landed where they did,” he said.

According to him, the incident was unrelated to the airport’s navigational facilities, and he insisted that air traffic controllers properly guided the aircraft to the runway.

“The tower at Asaba asked if they were on approach and cleared them to land. But they refused to land on the runway. When controllers contacted them again, asking, ‘You are not on the runway, where are you?’ it became clear they had landed on a concrete road outside the airport.”

Mr Keyamo added that the crew further heightened security concerns by departing the scene before accident investigators could examine the aircraft and question those on board.

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“When you make such a serious mistake, you are expected to remain at the scene until accident investigators arrive. Instead, the crew took off again. That was when I contacted the Director-General of the DSS, and arrangements were made for the aircraft’s crew to be picked up immediately on arrival in Lagos,” he noted.

He explained that the aircraft was registered in the United States, noting that this accounted for the pilot’s age, which exceeded Nigeria’s maximum age limit for commercial pilots.

“The aircraft is not Nigerian-registered; it is registered in the United States. That is why the pilot is over 70 years old. Under Nigerian regulations, commercial pilots cannot continue flying beyond the age of 65. Foreign-registered aircraft operating under wet lease, dry lease or short-term lease arrangements often come into Nigeria for limited periods before returning to their home base,” Mr Keyamo said.

Background

The incident occurred on 10 June when a US-registered Bombardier Challenger 601-3A, registration number N989BC, operated by VMO Aero Limited, was flying from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba under Instrument Flight Rules.

A preliminary report released by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) showed that after discontinuing its initial approach, the crew attempted a second approach to Runway 11, believing they were correctly aligned with the published Required Navigation Performance (RNAV) procedure.

However, the aircraft landed on a paved road under construction near the airport rather than on the designated runway.

The jet, carrying four crew members and three passengers, later departed from the runway and returned to Lagos. No injuries were reported.

READ ALSO: VMO Aero speaks on Asaba aircraft incident, says crew aborted unstable approach

Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft after it arrived in Lagos and suspended VMO Aero Limited’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight pending investigations.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the NSIB commenced an investigation into the occurrence to determine the factors that led to the wrong-surface landing.

The bureau said its investigators were examining flight data, interviewing the crew, reviewing air traffic control communications and analysing operational procedures in line with international aviation safety standards.

The incident also drew attention because the aircraft departed the scene before investigators arrived, an action aviation authorities consider inconsistent with standard accident investigation procedures.

Nigeria’s aviation regulations require operators involved in serious occurrences to preserve the scene and cooperate fully with investigators to facilitate an independent safety investigation.

Mr Keyamo said the ongoing investigation would establish why the crew failed to land on the runway despite receiving clearance and whether any further regulatory or security actions would be taken.