NSIB Investigates After Aircraft Door Falls Mid-Flight

A Triton Aviation aircraft made an emergency landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja on Thursday after a door opened and fell from the plane shortly after take-off. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) sent investigators to the scene.

A Mayday, then a return to Abuja

The CL60 aircraft, registration T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, was flying from Abuja to Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos. At about 4:20 p.m. local time, the crew reported that a door had opened in flight. The incident report said the aircraft took off from Runway 22 at 4:17 p.m. UTC and, about three nautical miles from the airport, climbed through 3,000 feet as the crew transmitted: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”

An approach radar controller directed the aircraft back to Abuja. Airport fire-watch and medical teams received alerts and stood by, while fire and emergency personnel moved to positions A4 and A5. The crew’s distress call set the airport’s chain of command in motion. People on the ground prepared for an emergency as the aircraft remained in the air.

At about 4:29 p.m. UTC, the crew asked the Abuja control tower whether controllers could confirm that the door was open. A duty air traffic controller tried to observe the aircraft with binoculars but couldn’t determine the door’s condition because of its position. The controller told the crew they couldn’t visually confirm it.

The aircraft landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 p.m. UTC, about 14 minutes after the Mayday call. After landing, the duty controller saw that the door was missing from the fuselage. The report said the aircraft taxied to the international apron extension and parked with help from a marshaller.

Farmers found the missing part

Farmers reportedly found the door on nearby farmland in Abuja. A video showed farmers displaying what they said was the missing part. A man whose identity couldn’t be independently established said: “This is what we found as we were returning from our farm. It fell from a plane, but we don't know much about its identity. As I am sending it to you, sir, just check it.”

The report didn’t establish the number of passengers aboard by the time it was filed. Triton Aviation couldn’t be reached for comment. Key details about who was aboard and the operator’s account therefore remain unconfirmed in the report.

Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the incident but said the agency couldn’t comment because it fell under the NSIB’s purview. The NSIB also confirmed the incident. Its media team said bureau management had deployed investigators and would issue an official statement. The bureau now leads the investigation, while the aircraft operator’s account remains unavailable.

A separate airline seeks capital

The Guardian report also covered United Nigeria Airlines’ (UNA) plan to raise N20 billion through a commercial paper issuance, the first tranche under its N100 billion programme. The airline said the funds would strengthen its finances and support expansion of domestic, regional and international operations. Its September 2026 investor presentation said it would offer the issuance in two series, with tenors of 270 days and 364 days.

UNA’s revenue climbed from N10.3 billion in 2021 to N90.8 billion in 2025, while profit after tax rose from N1.3 billion to N23.8 billion. Revenue reached N95.6 billion in the first half of 2026. In August, turnover rose to N19.4 billion from N14.1 billion in July, and the airline returned to net profit of N1.2 billion. UNA said it expected financial performance to keep rising during the remaining months of 2026 and beyond.

Ahead of the planned fundraising, Agusto & Co. assigned UNA a short-term rating of A3 and a long-term rating of BBB-, with a stable outlook. DataPro assigned short-term and long-term ratings of A1 and BBB, respectively. The report said the ratings assessed the airline’s creditworthiness as it sought capital-market funding. UNA operated 10 aircraft and planned to take delivery of six more before the end of the year.