The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed how a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A business jet mistakenly landed on a paved roadway under construction instead of the runway at Asaba Airport on June 10, 2026.
According to the Bureau’s preliminary report released on Friday, the aircraft, with registration N989BC and operated by VMO Aero Limited, was carrying seven people—four crew members and three passengers. No injuries were recorded during the incident.
The jet was operating an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba. NSIB said the crew abandoned their initial approach before repositioning for a second approach to Runway 11.
Although the flight crew reported that the aircraft’s navigation system indicated it was correctly aligned with the published RNAV Runway 11 approach, the jet instead touched down on a nearby paved road under construction.
After landing, the aircraft was shut down and inspected before passengers safely disembarked. The jet later departed from the roadway and returned to Lagos without further operational issues. A post-flight inspection, however, revealed damage to the left nose-wheel assembly.
NSIB said its preliminary findings were based on crew and witness statements, air traffic control records, aircraft examinations and data retrieved from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR). The agency added that detailed technical analysis is still ongoing.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, earlier explained that air traffic controllers cleared the aircraft to land but lost visual contact with it shortly afterward.
“When the tower called, they said they had landed. The tower asked, ‘Landed where?’ I can see the whole of the runway and aprons, but you are not there,” Keyamo said.
He added that the pilots mistook a newly constructed road near the airport for the runway. According to the minister, there was no mechanical failure, which allowed the aircraft to take off again. He disclosed that the incident has been referred to the Department of State Services (DSS) as a matter of national security, while a report will be submitted to President Bola Tinubu.
The incident has raised concerns over airport infrastructure, ongoing construction near the airfield and pilot situational awareness. NSIB said its final report will determine the probable cause of the occurrence and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
