The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says it has recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder—commonly referred to as black boxes from a private jet that made an emergency landing on a public highway in Delta State, as investigations intensify into the unusual incident.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger CL-601 operated by VMO Aero Limited, reportedly departed Lagos on Wednesday morning and was en route to Asaba Airport when it encountered difficulties during its landing approach.
According to preliminary information, the aircraft conducted a missed approach at about 7:43 a.m. local time while attempting to land at the airport near Asaba. The flight crew subsequently diverted and carried out an emergency landing on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State.
In a statement, the NSIB confirmed that its “Go Team” had secured both black boxes for forensic analysis, describing the recovery as a critical step in determining the cause of the incident.
“The immediate deployment of our investigative Go Team and the swift recovery of the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder are critical steps that will help establish the facts of this incident,” said NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr. He added that no fatalities or serious injuries were recorded.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed the aircraft stationary on a paved road surrounded by vegetation, temporarily obstructing vehicular movement in the area. All passengers and crew reportedly disembarked safely after the landing and were later transported by road to Asaba.
Authorities said the aircraft later departed from the same roadway and returned to Lagos at about 11:02 GMT, an action that has raised further regulatory concerns.
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Aviation regulators have expressed concern over the decision to take off from a public road without formal clearance from air traffic control. Preliminary tracking data from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) indicates that air traffic control was not informed of the departure until after the aircraft was already airborne.
The NCAA has since grounded the aircraft and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF), pending the outcome of ongoing investigations. The regulator described the incident as a serious breach of aviation safety procedures.
The NSIB says its investigation will follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 standards, focusing on operational, technical, and environmental factors that may have contributed to the incident.
The bureau is also collecting flight data, maintenance records, and air traffic control communications, while interviewing crew members and seeking additional eyewitness footage from the Ogwashi-Uku area.
Officials stressed that the aim of the probe is to establish facts and issue safety recommendations to prevent a recurrence, rather than assign criminal liability.
The incident has continued to generate public attention due to the rare nature of an aircraft landing and subsequently taking off from a public highway.