June 11 (THEWILL) — The investigation into the unusual roadway landing of a Bombardier Challenger CL-601 aircraft near Asaba, Delta State, advanced on Thursday, as the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announced the recovery of the aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR).
The development comes a day after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight over alleged regulatory violations arising from the incident.
According to preliminary reports, the privately operated aircraft, registered as N989BC and operated by VMO Aero Limited, was attempting to land at Asaba Airport when it executed a missed approach at approximately 7:43 a.m. local time before eventually landing on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Ukwu area of Delta State.
In a statement issued by the NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe, the Bureau disclosed that an investigative team was immediately deployed to the site of the occurrence and successfully recovered the aircraft’s two critical flight recorders.
The recovered Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder have since been secured for detailed analysis as investigators work to reconstruct the sequence of events that culminated in the incident.
Beyond the flight recorders, the NSIB said investigators are reviewing operational records, maintenance documentation and air traffic control communications as part of a comprehensive effort to determine the circumstances surrounding the occurrence.
Commenting on the development, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., described the swift recovery of the flight recorders as a major milestone in the investigative process.
“The successful recovery of the CVR and FDR marks a critical step in establishing the facts surrounding this occurrence”, Badeh said.
He reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to advancing aviation safety in Nigeria through thorough and independent investigations aimed at identifying safety deficiencies and preventing future accidents and incidents.
According to the NSIB, the ongoing investigation will focus on establishing the circumstances and contributing factors that led to the roadway landing. The Bureau added that safety recommendations arising from the findings would be directed at preventing a recurrence.
While authorities have yet to determine the cause of the incident, aviation experts regard data contained in the CVR and FDR as vital to understanding the aircraft’s performance, crew actions, communication exchanges and operating conditions during the final stages of the flight.
The NSIB assured the public that the investigation would be conducted in accordance with international aviation safety standards and promised to provide additional updates as the probe progresses.
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