The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has recovered the door of a Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft from a cornfield in Abuja after it detached mid-air during a flight to Lagos.
NSIB’s Director General, Captain Alex Badeh, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The aircraft, operated by Triton Aviation Limited, made an emergency landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on October 15, with all nine persons on board escaping unhurt.
The bureau said the incident occurred at about 5:19 p.m. during the aircraft’s initial climb when the pilots noticed an abnormal increase in cabin altitude and suspected a pressurisation problem.
The captain subsequently directed the cabin crew to inspect the main cabin door, but as the crew member approached it, the door opened and detached from the aircraft.
The pilots declared an emergency and returned to Abuja, landing safely on Runway 22 at about 5:34 p.m.
The NSIB said the aircraft sustained substantial damage, while the detached door was recovered from a cornfield in Gui Village, Abuja Municipal Area Council, about five miles southwest of the airport.
It stressed that the preliminary report contained factual findings and did not establish the cause of the incident, as investigations were ongoing.
The bureau said a final report containing its analysis, conclusions and further safety recommendations would be released upon completion of the investigation in line with ICAO Annex 13.
