An aviation disaster was narrowly averted on October 15 when a private jet operated by Triton Aviation experienced a sudden structural failure, losing a cabin door shortly after taking off from Abuja. The Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft, registered as T7-SEI, was operating flight DWC052 and heading to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with nine people on board when the emergency unfolded.
Emergency Declaration and Safe Return to Abuja
The flight departed from Runway 22 of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 4:17 p.m. UTC. According to incident reports and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the aircraft was approximately three nautical miles from the airport, climbing through an altitude of 3,000 to 3,500 feet, when the flight crew issued an urgent Mayday distress call.
The crew alerted air traffic controllers that a door had opened mid-flight. The approach radar controller promptly instructed the pilots to abort the journey to Lagos and return to Abuja for an emergency landing. Ground services mobilized immediately. The airport’s fire watch room and medical teams were alerted at 4:22 p.m. UTC, positioning equipment at tactical access points A4 and A5 as a precautionary measure.
During the approach, at approximately 4:29 p.m. UTC, the crew communicated with the Abuja control tower to check if ground personnel could visually confirm the state of the door using binoculars. Due to the aircraft’s positioning, the duty air traffic controller could not clearly determine the condition of the hatch. The aircraft successfully touched down on Runway 22 at 4:34 p.m. UTC, just 14 minutes after the initial distress call.
Missing Door Recovered in Abuja Farmland
Upon taxiing to the international apron extension and parking with the assistance of a marshaller at 4:40 p.m. UTC, ground crews confirmed that the entire cabin door was missing from the fuselage. All three crew members and six passengers on board escaped the harrowing incident without any injuries.
Shortly after the emergency landing, viral footage emerged on social media showing local farmers who had recovered the heavy detached door in an Abuja farmland while returning from their daily work. The recovered wreckage was subsequently handed over to federal aviation authorities.
NSIB Launches Formal Investigation
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), led by Director-General and Chief Executive Officer Captain Alex Badeh Jr., confirmed that the detached door had been retrieved and securely stored at the bureau’s wreckage hangar.
Investigators have commenced a full-scale probe to determine the precise mechanical or structural failures that caused the door to separate in flight. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), through Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu, deferred specific inquiries regarding the incident to the NSIB as the statutory agency responsible for air accident and serious incident investigations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What aircraft was involved in the Triton Aviation door separation incident?
The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet, operated by Triton Aviation and registered in San Marino with the tail number T7-SEI.
How many people were on board the private jet during the emergency?
There were nine individuals on board the aircraft, consisting of three crew members and six passengers. Fortunately, all occupants emerged uninjured.
Where did the aircraft land after the emergency declaration?
The aircraft made a safe emergency landing on Runway 22 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, roughly 14 minutes after broadcasting its Mayday call.
Who is investigating the mid-air door loss?
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has officially launched an investigation to uncover the root causes of the structural failure.
What happened to the missing cabin door?
The door sheared off mid-flight and landed in an Abuja farmland, where it was later discovered by local farmers and subsequently secured by NSIB forensic teams.
