On Thursday, a Triton Aviation plane touched down unexpectedly at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport following a pilot report that a door had come ajar in flight shortly after departure.
The journey, headed from Abuja to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos aboard a CL60 jet bearing the registration T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, ran into trouble right at the start. According to a serious incident report, the aircraft lifted off from Runway 22 at 4:17 p.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Approximately three nautical miles from the airport while climbing at 3,000 feet, the crew issued a distress call at 4:20 p.m.
Air traffic controllers directed the flight to return to Abuja. Airport fire, rescue, and medical personnel were placed on standby as the aircraft maneuvered back toward the airport. At 4:29 p.m. UTC, the flight crew asked the Abuja control tower to verify whether the door was open. The duty air traffic controller attempted to check the aircraft using binoculars but could not confirm its condition due to the aircraft’s position. The aircraft ultimately touched down safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 p.m. UTC, roughly 14 minutes after the Mayday call.
Ground Inspection and Discovered Debris
Upon landing, the controller observed that the aircraft’s door was missing from the fuselage. The jet was subsequently taxied to the international apron extension and parked with the aid of a marshaller.
JUST IN: Private Jet Loses Door Mid-Air, Makes Emergency Landing in AbujaA CL60 aircraft operated by Triton Aviation reportedly lost a door mid-air on Thursday, forcing the crew to declare an emergency shortly after taking off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.… pic.twitter.com/dFDkvFWz0l
In parallel, a video circulating on social media showed what appeared to be the detached door. An unidentified man claimed that farmers returning from their farm in the Abuja area had stumbled upon the missing door and suggested it fell from an aircraft. The circumstances of that discovery have not been independently verified.
Institutional Response
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau confirmed the occurrence and announced that investigators had been dispatched. “Yes, it happened. The investigators are there. We will be releasing an official statement shortly,” the bureau’s media team stated. Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, also confirmed the incident while noting that the NSIB has jurisdiction. Triton Aviation could not be reached for comment when this report was filed.
