Investigators Retrieve Flight Recorders From Jet Involved in Delta Roadway Landing Incident

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has successfully recovered the flight recorders from a private aircraft that landed on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, on June 10, 2026.

The bureau dispatched an emergency investigative team to the site following reports that the Bombardier Challenger CL-601 aircraft, operated by VMO Aero Limited, had touched down on a public road during a flight from Lagos to Asaba. Both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), commonly known as the black boxes, were secured for technical analysis. Investigators are also gathering relevant maintenance, operational, and air traffic control records to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the event.

NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. confirmed the recovery, stating that the swift retrieval of the flight recorders is a critical step in establishing the facts of the occurrence. He expressed relief that no fatalities or injuries were recorded among the four crew members on board. The bureau noted that the ongoing investigation aims solely to advance transportation safety and issue preventive recommendations rather than to apportion blame or determine legal liability.

The incident drew widespread public attention after social media footage showed the private jet stationary on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area before it subsequently took off from the scene. Preliminary findings from civil aviation authorities indicate that the aircraft had executed a missed approach at approximately 7:43 a.m. while attempting a standard landing at Asaba Airport.

Following the unauthorized departure from the roadway back to Lagos, regulatory bodies grounded the aircraft and suspended the operator’s permit pending a full review.

The flight crew is also under regulatory scrutiny for flying the aircraft back to Lagos without obtaining the mandatory regulatory approvals, which officials cited as a violation of civil aviation regulations.