The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that the private jet which mistakenly landed on a road under construction near Asaba Airport in Delta State had aborted its initial landing attempt before making a second approach that ended on the wrong surface.

The disclosure was contained in a preliminary report released by the Bureau on Friday on the June 10 incident involving a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft, registration number N989BC, operated by VMO Aero Limited.

According to the report, the aircraft was flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba Airport when the incident occurred.

The NSIB stated that the flight crew discontinued their first approach into Asaba Airport, repositioned the aircraft, and made another approach to Runway 11, believing they were properly aligned with the published RNAV approach procedure.

"The flight crew reported that the aircraft's navigation indications displayed the aircraft as established on the published RNAV Runway 11 approach," the report stated.

Despite the navigation indications, the aircraft touched down on a paved road under construction near the airport instead of the designated runway.

The Bureau said the aircraft was carrying seven occupants—four crew members and three passengers—and confirmed that no injuries were recorded.

Following the landing, the aircraft was shut down and inspected before all passengers safely disembarked.

According to the report, the aircraft later departed the construction roadway and flew back to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos without any further operational issues.

"The aircraft subsequently departed from the roadway and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, without further reported operational abnormalities. A post-flight examination identified damage to the left nose-wheel assembly," the report added.

The NSIB explained that its preliminary findings were based on information obtained from the flight crew, eyewitnesses, air traffic control records, operational documents, physical examination of the aircraft, and data retrieved from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR).

It further disclosed that both recorders were successfully downloaded at the Bureau's Transport Safety Laboratory in Abuja, while technical examinations and detailed analysis remain ongoing.

The latest findings come weeks after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, dismissed claims that the aircraft suffered a mechanical fault.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Tonight, a TVC programme, Keyamo said the aircraft had been cleared to land at Asaba Airport before air traffic controllers suddenly lost visual contact with it.

According to the minister, the control tower contacted the pilots after noticing the aircraft was no longer visible on the runway.

"The tower in Asaba cleared them to land. After about two minutes, the tower called and said, 'Where is your location? I can't see you again. I can't see you on the tarmac.'

"But they said they had landed, so the tower asked, 'Landed where?' I can see the whole runway and aprons, but you are not there.

"They said they landed on a roadway they saw. It turned out to be a construction site very close to the airport. They saw a beautiful road that looked like a runway and landed there.

"Before the relevant agencies could get there to investigate, the pilots took off again for Lagos after dropping their passengers. There was no mechanical failure, which is why they were able to take off again.

"However, the matter is now before the Department of State Services (DSS). It has gone beyond aviation and has become a national security issue. Security agencies are investigating, and reports will first be submitted to Mr President because it is a matter of national security."

The NSIB stressed that investigations into the incident are still ongoing, noting that the preliminary report is intended only to present facts established so far and does not assign responsibility or determine the probable cause of the occurrence.