The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that the private jet involved in the June 10 incident near Asaba Airport landed on a road under construction after the flight crew mistakenly identified it as the airport runway.
In a preliminary investigation report released on Friday, the NSIB said the Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft, operated by VMO Aero Limited, was flying from Lagos to Asaba under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). After aborting its initial landing approach, the crew attempted a second approach to Runway 11 using the published Required Navigation Performance (RNAV) procedure.
Investigators said the pilots believed they were correctly aligned with the runway based on cockpit navigation displays but instead touched down on a nearby paved construction road.
The aircraft, carrying four crew members and three passengers, landed safely with no injuries. However, a post-flight inspection revealed damage to its left nose-wheel assembly.
The NSIB said investigators have examined the aircraft, interviewed the crew and witnesses, reviewed air traffic control records, and analysed data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder. Further technical analysis is ongoing.
The findings align with an earlier statement by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who said the incident was not caused by mechanical failure but by the crew mistaking the construction road for the runway.
The bureau stressed that its report is preliminary and that investigations are continuing before a final determination is made.