VMO Aero Addresses Aircraft Incident Inquiry
VMO Aero, an aircraft acquisition and management firm, has provided a comprehensive clarification regarding the recent incident involving one of its jets, which prompted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ground the aircraft.
Flight Details and Emergency Response
In a statement issued on Friday, VMO Aero detailed that the aircraft took off from Lagos on Wednesday, June 10, bound for Asaba. During its approach to Asaba Airport, the flight crew realized that the approach was unstable and decided to abort landing.
Oluwaseun Ayodeji, VMO Aero’s Responsible Manager, explained that after the aborted attempt, the crew executed a second approach, but ultimately landed on a road adjacent to the airport’s runway.
Collaboration with Aviation Authorities
VMO Aero is actively collaborating with aviation authorities, including the Nigeria Safety Investigation Agency and the NCAA, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. The company expressed its commitment to support all efforts related to the investigation and to implement any safety recommendations that may arise.
Regret and Public Assurance
Ayodeji acknowledged the seriousness that regulatory bodies assign to incidents impacting air safety and compliance. The operator conveyed regret over the incident and any public inconvenience it may have caused. He reassured that there were no injuries among the crew, and no property damage was reported, as the aircraft eventually returned safely to Lagos.
NCAA’s Immediate Actions and Safety Concerns
Consequent to the incident, the NCAA issued a directive grounding the Bombardier Challenger CL-601 operated by VMO Aero and suspended the company’s Non-Commercial Flight Permit (PNCF). Preliminary reports indicated that the plane made an approach error during the landing sequence at Asaba Airport, which led to its unintended landing on a nearby road.
Regulatory Oversight and Investigation Mandate
The NCAA raised concerns that the aircraft departed for Lagos without the requisite regulatory approvals, a focus of an ongoing review. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has mandated a thorough investigation into the entire situation.
Data Recovery Efforts and Future Preventive Measures
On Thursday, the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announced that it had retrieved the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR). Investigators plan to examine these devices along with operational, maintenance, and air traffic control records to unveil the details surrounding the incident. This investigation aims to identify the factors contributing to the incident and to propose recommendations to avert similar occurrences in the future.
